SB 


L.  F.  Graber 


mam  Lib. 
Agric.  Dept 


"ALFALFA" 


A  HANDBOOK  FOR  THE  ALFALFA 
GROWER  AND  STUDENT 


BY         .  :  ;-.;,,r 

L.  F.    GRABER 

ASSISTANT  PROFESSOR  OF  AGRONOMY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  WISCONSIN 

SECRETARY  OP  WISCONSIN  ALFALFA  ORDER 


PUBLISHED   BY 

L.  F.  GRABER 

MADISON,  WISCONSIN 


COPYRIGHT,  IQl8 

By  L.  F.  Graber 


C'\ 


FOREWORD 


state  alfalfa  grower's  association  is  officially  known 
as  the  Alfalfa  Order  of  the  Wisconsin  Agricultural  Experiment 
Association.  It  was  organized  to  increase  and  extend  the 
alfalfa  acreage  of  the  state  by  numerous  state  wide  cooperative  demon- 
strational  and  experimental  tests  which  have  and  will  most  effectually 
solve  the  difficulties  and  problems  that  hinder  the  onward  progress 
of  our  greatest  hay  crop — ALFALFA. 

The  association  began  its  work  in  1 9 1 1 .  At  that  time  Wisconsin 
produced  about  50,000  tons  of  alfalfa  hay.  The  United  States  Bureau 
of  Crop  Estimates  credits  Wisconsin  with  a  total  production  of  36 1 ,000 
tons  for  1 9 1 5 — which  was  the  largest  production  of  alfalfa  in  any  single 
state  of  the  Middle  West.  This  seven-fold  increase  reflects  what  co- 
operation and  demonstration  will  do  when  carried  on  by  a  live  organ- 
ization with  a  membership  of  over  1000. 

During  the  past  six  years  I  have  received,  as  secretary  of  the 
Alfalfa  Order  over  3,000  reports  from  our  members  of  successes  and 
failures  with  alfalfa.  The  experimental  work  at  the  Wisconsin  Ex- 
periment Station  includes  over  600  plots  of  various  strains  and  varieties 
of  alfalfa  which  were  sown  under  widely  varying  conditions  and  methods. 
This  publication  tells  the  story  of  these  experimental  tests  and  the  ex- 
periences of  our  members. 

Seven  of  the  articles  appeared  serially  in  the  Country  Gentleman 
from  December  1916  to  June  1917.  The  article  on  "When  to  Cut 
Alfalfa"  appeared  in  Hoard's  Dairyman,  May  1915.  For  permission 
to  reprint  these  I  am  truly  grateful.  They  were  written  to  present 
the  fundamentals  of  alfalfa  growing  in  the  East  and  Middle  West  in 
a  readable  and  interesting  manner  and  to  start  beginners  right  with 
alfalfa.  The  author  desires  to  extend  credit  also  to  Peter  Swartz, 
President  of  the  Wisconsin  Alfalfa  Order,  Waukesha,  Wis.,  S.  J.  Hen- 
derson, 6nieW,  Nebrasls^  Dn  W.  M.  Williams,  Harlem,  Mont.,  John 
Waelti,  Monroe,  Wis.,  Efiiest,  f  homa,  Sugar  Bush,  Wis.,  the  Jeffrey 
Manufacturing ^x>u>pz.ny,  Columbus,  Ohio,  the  John  Deere  Plow  Co., 
Molifie,  l\L,  ^he- United 'States  Department  of  Agriculture  and  to  the 
Agricultural  Bacteriology,  the  Agronomy  and  Soils  Departments  of 
the  Wisconsin  College  of  Agriculture  for  illustrations  provided. 

L.   F.   Graber, 

Madison,  Wisconsin 


Alfalfa  Criticisms  Answered 


^""•"1 — "LL  tell  you  why  I  don't  grow  alfalfa.  It's  because  I've  tried 
it!"  A  number  of  farmers  were  on  their  way  to  a  Pure-Bred 
^  ^  Grain  Show  which  was  being  sponsored  by  a  progressive  banker 
in  the  southern  part  of  the  state.  That  they  were  having  a  lively 
discussion  was  indicated  by  the  rather  loud  tone  of  the  conversation. 
A  short,  robust  fellow  with  a  cigar  of  the  same  build  was  doing  the 
talking: 

"I  got  inoculated  with  the  alfalfa  bug  three  years  ago.  It's  a 
mighty  bad  disease,  I'll  tell  you.  Cost  me  more'n  a  hundred  dollars 
to  get  cured." 

They  all  laughed. 

"You  see,  there  was  so  much  being  written  and  said  about  this 
blasted  crop  it  naturally  got  my  goat,  and  I  began  to  dream  about 
getting  five  or  six  tons  to  the  acre  of  a  kind  of  hay  that's  twice  as 
good  for  stock  as  timothy.  And  the  more  I  dreamed  about  it  the 
more  acres  I  wanted  to  plant.  So  I  struck  out  the  next  spring  with 
twenty  acres.  Seeded  with  oats,  just  the  way  I  did  my  timothy  and 
clover.  Got  an  awful  big  crop  of  oats,  but  alfalfa — well,  it  looked 
all  right  in  the  fall ;  in  fact  I  was  pretty  much  tickled  and  I  bragged  a 
little  to  my  neighbors  about  it. 

His  Alfalfa  had  the  Jaundice 

"But,  sir,  the  next  May  I  was  plumb  disgusted,  and  the  alfalfa 
looked  just  the  way  I  felt.  It  didn't  amount  to  a  whoop.  It  was 
thin,  yellow  and  sickly.  It  had  the  jaundice!  Wouldn't  grow.  I 
was  sore,  and  plowed  the  whole  business  up  and  put  it  into  corn. 
Maybe  I  wasn't  guyed  some  by  the  neighbors.  They  haven't  for- 

?otten  about  it  yet.  I  haven't  either,  and  it'll  be  some  time  before 
do.  It's  easy  enough  for  some  of  these  fellows  to  come  here  and 
talk  more  alfalfa,  but  it's  another  thing  to  grow  it." 

The  last  thrust  hit  the  mark,  for  it  was  just  exactly  what  I  was 
going  to  do.  But  I  kept  my  peace.  A  rather  tall  member  of  the 
group,  smooth  shaven  and  well  dressed,  who  had  had  little  to  say, 
spoke  up: 

"I  live  eight  miles  from  here,  over  at  Winton.  My  name  is  Wil- 
liams. We  are  growing  alfalfa  over  there.  I've  got  thirty  acres  of 
it  right  now — as  fine  as  you  ever  saw.  Let  me  tell  you  my  experience: 

"Five  years  ago  I  put  in  ten  acres  just  the  way  you  did  and  I  got 
the  same  result.  But  I  didn't  quit.  I  made  up  my  mind  to  grow 
alfalfa  or  bust.  Lucky  enough  we  had  an  institute  that  winter, 
and  they  had  a  fellow  who  was  an  old  hand  at  alfalfa  growing  in 
this  state.  I'll  never  forget  what  he  told  me:  'If  you  think  that 
this  lime  and  inoculation  business  is  all  humbug,  leave  alfalfa  alone. 
Stick  to  timothy  and  clover.' " 

Inoculated    with    Right   Ideas 

"Well,  sir,  I've  realized  since  that  he  inoculated  me  with  the  right 
ideas  about  growing  alfalfa.  I  bought  a  carload  of  lime  that  winter, 

3 
d  f}  1  A  O  o 


twe-carloads  since  then.     Every  new  piece  of  alfalfa 
put" in  is  ihocuiatetf^and  limed.      That's  the  secret  of  the  whole 
proposition.     But  I  have  had  my  troubles  too.     Last  winter  I    lost 
ten  acres.     I  cut  it  late  in  October  and  the  patch  killed  out.     The 
fields  that  I  cut    early  in  September  came  through  fine.     And  be- 
lieve me,  you  can't  pasture  it  either  if  you  want  to  keep  a  good  stand." 
"But  isn't  it  true  that  even  with  the  best  of  care  alfalfa  winter- 
kills?" asked  a  very  much  interested  one  of  the  group. 


Fig.  i.     Equipped  to  grow  his  own  feed  with  alfalfa  for  hay  and  corn  for  the  silo. 

"Yes,  it  does.  When  we  get  an  open  winter  with  little  snow  and 
then  lots  of  alternate  freezing  and  thawing  and  formation  of  smother- 
ing ice-sheets,  alfalfa — especially  on  flat  land — will  kill  out.  That's 
what  happened  in  many  places  last  year.  But  clover  goes,  too,  so  I 
guess  we  have  got  to  look  at  it  as  a  weather  proposition  just  as  we 
would  a  hailstorm  or  a  drought.  We  can't  control  the  weather. 
But  they  say  there  are  some  kinds  of  alfalfa  that  don't  winterkill. 
We'll  hear  about  them  later."  (See  Figs.  50  and  51.) 

An  elderly  man  with  a  long  gray  beard  leaned  over  the  edge  of 
his  seat.  His  voice  was  rather  husky,  but  he  had  a  clear,  intelligent 
eye  and  a  face  that  bespoke  toil  and  success.  f 

"I  have  been  listening  to  this  discussion  and  I  suppose  if  we  keep 
on  there'll  be  no  need  of  going  to  the  meeting,"  he  said.  "We'll 
have  it  all  threshed  out  beforehand.  But  I'm  interested.  I've 
turned  the  [farm  over  to  the  boy.  He's  been  introducin'  a  lot  of 
ideas  and  practices  that  we  never  thought  of  years  ago.  At  first  I 
was  a  little  scared  the  boy  was  going  wild.  But  now  I'm  satisfied 
to  let  him  go  ahead. 

Lime  Pays 

"When  the  boy  bought  his  first  carload  of  lime  and  then  went  to 
all  the  extra  trouble  of  inoculating  and  getting  a  good  seed  bed  and 


paying  four  to  five  dollars  an  acre  for  alfalfa  seed,  I  figured  he'd 
have  to  get  some  alfalfa  yields  to  make  it  pay.  But  it's  paid  well. 
Alfalfa  costs  extra,  but  pays  double  extra.  And  do  you  know  that 
after  a  field  has  once  grown  alfalfa  it  is  much  less  expensive  to  get  a 
stand  than  it  is  with  a  new  field  that  has  never  grown  it  before? 
"As  my  son  argued  with  me  when  he  first  started  out,  'If  my  al- 
falfa will  last  me  for  three  years  or  five  years  the  first  cost  of  getting 
a  stand  does  not  amount  to  much  when  distributed  over  this  period 
of  years.  With  corn  you  have  the  expense  of  plowing  and  planting 
every  year.' 

The    Hustler's    Hay 

"If  you  want  to  know  what  our  greatest  trouble  with  alfalfa  is 
I'll  say  it's  labor.  When  I  grew  a  mixture  of  timothy  and  clover 
I  cut  it  once  for  hay  and  in  some  years  I  got  a  crop  of  clover  seed. 
But  alfalfa  gives  you  three  jobs  of  haying  every  year.  It's  no  lazy 
man's  crop.  You've  got  to  be  a  hustler,  like  the  plant  itself. 


Fig.  2.     Proper  soil  treatment  may  double  the  yields. 

"The  boy  now  has  fifty  acres  and  he  has  his  hands  full.  But  he's 
a  good  manager  and  he  keeps  those  barns 'full,  too,  and  full  of  the 
finest  hay  in  the  world." 

The  elderly  man  grew  enthusiastic;  that  he  was  proud  of  his  son 
was  very  evident. 

"Oh,  yes,  we  have  our  alfalfa  troubles.  Two  years  ago  we  lost 
our  first  cutting  on  twenty  acres.  It  rained  so  much  that  it  just 
rotted.  But  the  boy  doesn't  worry  about  curing  alfalfa.  It's  no 
harder  than  curing  clover,  and  alfalfa  hay  will  stand  more  rain  than 
either  clover  or  timothy.  If  he  loses  the  first  crop  he  has  two  ad- 
ditional crops  to  bank  on.  And  then  he  always  hires  extra  help. 
It  pays  him.  Look  at  the  extra  feed  he  gets. 

"I  know  alfalfa  doubles  up  the  farm  work  round  corn-cultivating 
time.  It  takes  extra  help,  but  the  extra  profits  will  take  care  of  that. 

Blue-Grass  Troubles 

"Many  of  the  farmers  in  our  section  complain  about  blue-grass' 
crowding  out  alfalfa.  But  I've  noticed  that  it's  always  those  fellows 
who  cut  their  alfalfa  late  in  the  fall  or  pasture  it  who  complain  the 
most.  They  expect  too  much  from  their  alfalfa  when  they  take  a 
cutting  in  October  or  pasture  in  the  fall.  That  causes  winterkilling. 


Then  the  blue  grass  naturally  takes  the  place  of  the  dead  alfalfa 
plants  and  makes  a  very  prominent  appearance  at  the  time  of  the 
first  cutting.  It  then  gets  the  blame  for  the  thinned  stand  of 
alfalfa,  though  the  condition  was  entirely  due  to  winterkilling  by 
the  late  fall  cutting  or  pasturing.  Of  course,  after  the  June  grass 
has  gained  a  good  foothold  it  will  then  gradually  crowd  out  the  al- 
falfa, but  most  of  this  blue-grass  trouble  is  due  to  late  cutting  or 
pasturing  or  real  hard  winter  weather.  (See  Figs.  14  and  37.) 


Fig.  3.     Alfalfa  excels  as  feed  for  all  kinds  of  livestock. 

Alfalfa — In    the    Rotation 

"Do  you  know  what  my  boy  is  planning  on  doing  now?  Well, 
sir,  he  is  going  to  put  alfalfa  into  a  regular  rotation  just  as  I  used 
to  handle  clover.  He  has  grown  alfalfa  on  that  farm  until  now  it's 
just  as  easy  for  him  to  get  a  stand  of  alfalfa  as  of  timothy  and  clover. 
He  plans  to  plow  his  third  crop  every  two  years  in  a  rotation  of  two 
years  of  corn,  and  then  seed  down  to  alfalfa  for  two  years,  using 
barley  as  a  nurse  crop.  I  guess  this  is  alright,  but  it's  one  of  these 
new  ideas  that  are  hard  for  fellows  like  me  to  see.  I'd  rather  have 
an  alfalfa  field  stand  as  long  as  it  would  produce  satisfactory  crops. 
But  everybody  to  his  own  judgment  on  this  proposition.  One  thing, 
it's  quite  a  job  to  plow  up  an  old  alfalfa  field.  (See  Fig.  13.) 

Don't  Be  Prejudiced 

"Did  you  ever  hear  Joe  Wirig  talk  alfalfa?     He  used  to  say  it 


took  three  things  to  plow  an  alfalfa  field — a  good  sharp  plow,  a  strong 
team  and  a  Christian  man."  The  old  man  chuckled.  "I  guess  he 
was  right  too.  Oh,  I  tell  you,  gentlemen,  alfalfa  like  any  other  crop 
has  its  good  points  and  its  bad  points.  It's  for  the  beginner  to  weigh 
the  evidence  on  both  sides  as  applied  to  his  farm  conditions.  Per- 
haps his  land  is  too  flat  and  sour  for  alfalfa,  or  the  necessary  lime  is 
too  costly  to  haul  and  apply,  or  he  may  have  a  hard-pan  sub-soil 
and  poor  drainage.  (See  Fig.  40.) 

"In  all  events  we  should  be  open-minded  on  alfalfa — not  like 
some  who  will  stare  a  beautiful  alfalfa  field  square  in  the  face  and 
still  say  'It  ain't  adapted  round  here.'  Nor  should  we  be  like  some 


Fig.  4.     Cornfalfa.  Farms,  Waukesha,  Wisconsin 
grow  over  200  acres  of  alfalfa. 

of  these  city  farmers  who  hear  all  about  the  great  merits  of  the  crop 
and  want  to  put  their  whole  farm  into  alfalfa.  One  is  just  as  bad 
as  the  other. 

"We  have  got  to  be  fair  about  it  both  in  boosting  and  in  knocking  it. 
It  has  its  objections  and  its  big  advantages.  It's  going  to  come, 
gentlemen,  but  that's  up  to  you.  Down  in  my  own  section  not 
more  than  ten  years  ago  everybody  was  talking  against  silos.  There 
were  all  kinds  of  stories  going  round  about  silage  eating  out  the  cows' 
insides  and  making  their  teeth  fall  out  and  their  ribs  cave  in.  In 
spite  of  this  the  silo  has  come.  I  look  on  alfalfa  the  same  way.  It's 
going  to  come,  boys." 

At  this  moment  the  train  arrived.  I  met  the  group  of  men  on 
the  platform. 

"Gentlemen,"  said  I,  "you  have  covered  this  alfalfa  proposition 
so  well  in  your  discussion  that  I'll  know  exactly  what  to  say  this 
afternoon.  Do  you  know  that  there  are  only  980  acres  of  alfalfa 
in  this  entire  county  against  70,000  acres  of  timothy?  I  don't  be- 
lieve it  will  hurt  some  of  us  to  get  inoculated  a  bit.  That's  what  I 
am  here  for." 


Arguments  For  and  Against  Alfalfa 


eEORGE  FITCH  once  wrote  that  "alfalfa  is  the  greatest  known 
breakfast   food   for   cattle    .    .    .    and   possesses   a  flavor  that 
makes  the  most  blase  cow  brighten  up  and  pass  her  plate  for 
more."     George  Fitch  has  not  been  the  only  one  to  proclaim  the 
merits    of    alfalfa.     Bankers,    lawyers,    doctors,    merchants,    manu- 
facturers,   authors,    professors,    governors,    agriculturists,    and   some 
farmers,   have  climbed  on   the  band  wagon  to  join   the  chorus  of 
praises  of  alfalfa. 

~  •  If  it  is  worthy  of  all  this  approbation  it  is  fair  to  ask  why  it  is  not 
more  generally  grown  on  livestock  farms,  especially  in  the  Middle- 
Western  and  Eastern  States.  If  its  popularity  is  just  a  fad,  what 
justification  is  there  for  all  the  numerous  alfalfa  campaigns,  tours, 
demonstrations,  associations,  and  never-ending  alfalfa  articles  in  the 
agricultural  press?  That  there  are  two  sides  to  alfalfa  is  indis- 
putable. It  has  its  enthusiastic  friends  and  enemies.  In  many 
places  it  is  like  a  prophet  in  his  own  country,  without  honor.  In 
other  places  it  is  the  leader  among  forage  crops. 

Alfalfa — Our  Best  Hay  Crop 

All  the  good  things  about  alfalfa  may  well  be  summed  up  as  fol- 
lows: Where  it  can  be  grown  successfully  it  excels  all  other  hay 
crops  in  yield  per  acre,  feeding  value,  drought  resistance,  soil  en- 
richment  and  weed  eradication.  This  covers  the  field  of  alfalfa 
enthusiasm.  I  have  elaborated  on  these  very  points  at  farmers' 
meetings. 

Not  long  ago  I  was  asked  to  say  a  good  word  for  alfalfa  at  a  large 
farmers'  picnic  in  Illinois.  They  listened  to  me;  they  even  applauded 
very  energetically  after  I  was  through.  But  after  the  meeting  a 
half  dozen  farmers  gathered  round  and  said: 

Objections 

"We  have  grown  alfalfa.  It  may  be  all  you  say  in  some  places, 
but  not  so  on  our  farms.  Our  soil  isn't  right  for  it.  It  costs  us  too 
much  to  get  it  started,  and  then  it  doesn't  last.  It  winter-kills  and 
blue-grass  and  weeds  come  in.  It  brings  too  much  work.  Help  is 
scarce.  It  would  keep  us  haying  all  summer,  leaving  no  time  to 
cultivate  the  corn  or  potatoes,  particularly  in  June  when  they  need 
it  most  badly.  It  doesn't  fit  into  a  short  rotation,  as  clover  does, 
and  it  is  mighty  hard  plowing  alfalfa  stubble.  There  are  so  many 
failures  in  growing  alfalfa  round  here,  and  so  much  time,  effort  and 
money  have  been  wasted  in  trying  to  get  alfalfa  started,  that  we 
believe  we  would  be  better  off  to  let  it  alone  and-  stick  to  our  old 
friend  clover." 

That  is  the  other  side  of  alfalfa.  What  some  people  think  is  con- 
servatism on  the  part  of  farmers  may  often  be  good  common  sense. 
Is  it  good  common  sense  to  get  into  the  alfalfa  business?  We  shall 
see. 


Crops  That  Work  Hardest  for  Us 

This  is  a  day  and  age  of  upward-soaring  prices  for  land  and  labor. 
It  is  becoming  necessary  for  livestock  farmers  to  grow  chiefly  those 
crops  that  work  hardest  for  them — those  crops  that  produce  the 
most  and  bring  the  greatest  net  returns  for  the  labor  and  effort  ap- 
plied. In  the  Corn  Belt  and  the  Eastern  States  there  are  two  crops 
which  stand  foremost  in  the  production  of  feed  per  acre  for  live- 
stock— corn  and  alfalfa:  corn  for  silage;  alfalfa  for  hay.  They  are 
two  crops  which,  if  grown  successfully,  make  a  combination  on  any 
farm  that  for  feed  production,  milk  production,  or  meat  production 
cannot  be  beaten. 


DIGESTIBLE  FEED 

PER 

ACRE 


ALFALFA 


SILAGE 


Fig.  5.     Timothy,  Our  Poorest  Feed  Producing  Crop. 

Upper  figures  are  average  yields.  Where  they  do  not  apply  substitute 
yields  obtainable  under  your  conditions.  Central  figures  give  per  cent  di- 
gestibility and  lower  figures,  the  total  digestible  nutrients  per  acre. 

The  yields  of  almost  any  crop  for  livestock  are  best  figured^irt 
terms  of  the  quality  of  feed  and  total  yield  of  digestible  nutrients 
per  acre.  An  acre  of  alfalfa  is  capable  of  producing  three  times  as 
much  actual  feed  as  an  average  acre  of  timothy. 

Timothy — the   Poorest    Feed    Producer 

Yes,  I  know  that  those  of  us  who  are  timothy  growers  have^argu- 


rnents  in  defense  of  this  much-abused  crop.  We  say  it  is  easy  to 
get  a  catch  of  timothy;  that  it  seldom  winter-kills;  that  it  lasts  for 
several  years;  that  the  hay  is  easy  to  cut  and  cure;  that  the  harvest 
of  timothy  for  hay  or  seed  comes  at  a  time  when  it  does  not  compete 
seriously  with  other  farm  work. 

|  But  in  the  final  analysis  it  still  remains  that  timothy  produces 
the  least  amount  of  feed  and  the  poorest  quality  of  feed  for  cattle 
when  compared  with  clover  or  alfalfa.  Can  we  afford  at  this  crit- 
ical period  to  expend  our  valuable  time — our  high-priced  labor  on  a 
crop  that  produces  so  little — that  gives  such  minor  returns  as  does 


Fig.  6.     Alfalfa  vs.  Timothy. 

This  illustration  shows  (i)  the  deeper  and  far  superior  root  feeding  system 
of  alfalfa  (2)  the  nitrogen  supplying  nodule  growths  on  alfalfa  roots  (3)  the 
length  of  the  new  stem  sprouts  growing  at  the  base  of  the  plant,  when  alfalfa 
is  in  full  bloom  and  past  the  proper  cutting  stage. 

timothy?  Of  course  there  are  conditions  where  timothy  is  more 
advantageous  than  alfalfa  but  on  the  $200  lands  of  our  livestock 
farmers  it  will  continue  and  must  continue  to  give  way  in  importance 

10 


and  area  to  those  much  superior  feed-producing  crops,  alfalfa,  clover 
and  corn. 

Roots  That  Resist  Drought 

Lecturers  on  alfalfa  spend  half  their  time  on  alfalfa  roots,  which 
seem  to  grow  deeper  and  deeper.  Some  enthusiasts  are  not  satisfied 
until  they  have  them  reaching  clear  through  to  China  and  involving 
us  in  international  difficulties!  Of  course,  this  could  occur  only 
with  very  old  fields! 


Fig.   7.     Alfalfa  Enriches  the   Soil. 

Tall  corn,  average  growth  on  alfalfa  sod.     Short  corn,  average  growth 
on  timothy  sod.     Both  the  timothy  and  alfalfa  sods  of  this  field  were  three 
years  old,  plowed  and  planted  to  corn  at  the  same  time  and  in  the  same  way. 
Photo   taken   in  July. 

But  the  feeding  system  of  the  alfalfa  plant  is  wonderful.  Why 
is  it  that  alfalfa  grows  so  fast — often  an  inch  a  day?  Why  is  it  that 
alfalfa  produces  three  crops  a  season  and  in  the  long-seasoned  climate 
of  the  Southwest  five  or  six  crops? 

It  is  because  the  plant  is  equipped  with  a  root  system  equaled  by 
no  other  crop.  I  have  seen  plants  in  an  alfalfa  field  in  its  second 
year  with  roots  that  averaged  four  feet  long.  Plants  in  same  field 
when  three  years  old  had  a  root  growth  of  more  than  seven  feet.  It 
is  claimed  that  out  West  roots  have  attained  depths  of  more  than 
fifty  feet,  but  the  subsoil  was  loose. 

11 


With  such  an  equipment,  one  can  readily  understand  why  alfalfa 
resists  drought  and  heat;  that  when  the  corn  is  stunted  and  the 
pastures  are  parched  and  brown,  about  the  only  crop  that  maintains 
its  vivid  green  to  brighten  the  landscape  and  cheer  the  farmer  is 
alfalfa. 

Soil  Builders 

These  roots  not  only  give  alfalfa  a  strong  constitution  and  great 
growing  power,  but  they  leave  a  permanent  and  lasting  benefit  to 
the  farmer  in  the  way  of  a  more  fertile  soil.  When  an  alfalfa  field 
is  plowed  the  roots  themselves  decay  and  make  the  best  kind  of 
humus-building  manure.  (See  Fig.  13.) 

There  is  another  way  and  a  more  important  manner  in  which 
alfalfa  builds  up  the  soil  and  makes  it  richer  and  more  productive — 
that  is  through  its  nitrogen-gathering  bacteria.  Go  into  a  success- 
ful alfalfa  field  in  June  and  dig  up  some  plants.  Carefully  break 
away  the  soil  from  the  finer  roots  and  observe  on  them  the  small 
swellings  or  nodules.  We  all  know,  or  should  know,  that  these 


. 


Fig.  8     This  was  a  "One  Time"  Fertile  Soil. 

What  timothy  growing  and  soil  robbing   will  finally  lead  to. 


nodules  are  the  homes  of  millions  of  bacteria  that  use  up  the  ni- 
trogen gas  of  the  air  and  convert  it  into  a  liquid  form  of  nitrogen 
which  is  an  actual  fertilizer  for  the  plant.  (See  Fig.  28.) 

Alfalfa — A   Soil  Fertilizer  Factory 

An  alfalfa  field  is  a  marvelous  fertilizer  factory,  each  acre  capable 
of  manufacturing  annually  160  pounds  of  raw  nitrogen  into  an  avail- 
able form  of  plant  food.  Alfalfa  supplies  its  own  nitrogen  require- 
ments. When  the  manure  from  alfalfa  hay  is  returned  to  the  soil 
that  produced  it  vast  stores  of  nitrogen  accumulate  and  result  in 
bigger  arid  better  crops  of  corn,  potatoes  or  tobacco,  which  may 
follow  after  the  alfalfa  field  has  been  plowed.  Clover  is  also  a  valu- 
able soil  enricher,  but  it  does  not  add  so  much  nitrogen  or  so  much 
humus-forming  material  in  the  way  of  root  growth  and  stubble  as 
alfalfa. 

12 


Destroys  Canada  Thistles 

Canada  thistles  have  long  been  a  dreaded  enemy  of  the  farmer 
in  the  Middle  West.  In  fact,  they  are  so  persistent  in  their  peren- 
nial  growth  that  many  fields  are  rendered  unprofitable  because  of 
the  abundance  of  this  weed. 

One  way  to  get  rid  of  them  is  to  wage  a  bitter  and  unrelenting 
warfare  against  them  with  the  plow  and  spring-tooth  harrow  for 
one  entire  summer.  Like  any  warfare,  this  is  costly.  Not  only 
does  it  require  much  labor,  but  the  use  of  the  field  is  lost  for  one 
year. 

Let  Alfalfa  Fight  for  You 

Why  not  let  alfalfa  do  the  fighting  for  you?  Alfalfa  is  a  peace- 
loving  plant,  but  it  is  the  best  weed  scrapper  of  all  the  forage  crops 
that  are  grown  on  the  average  farm.  Just  give  it  a  good  supply  of 
ammunition  in  the  form  of  lime,  inoculation,  drainage  and  a  care- 
fully prepared  seed  bed,  and  it  will  wipe  out  the  worst  army  of  Canada 
thistles  that  has  ever  taken  possession  of  a  field. 

A  few  years  ago  the  Cornfalfa  Farms,  in  Waukesha  County,  Wis- 
consin, had  a  fifteen-acre  field  of  oats.  Canada  thistles  were  so 
thick  that  it  was  useless  to  harvest  the  grain.  It  was  cut  with  a 
mower  and  burned. 

The  field  was  plowed  twice  that  fall  and  again  the  following  spring 
to  keep  the  thistles  under  control.  The  soil  was  limed,  inoculated 
and  disked  several  times.  Early  in  July  alfalfa  was  seeded  at  the 
rate  of  twenty-five  pounds  to  the  acre.  That  fall  there  was  a  good 
growth  of  both  alfalfa  and  weeds. 

The  first  cutting  was  made  early  in  June  of  the  next  year.  The 
alfalfa  was  far  ahead,  but  the  thistles  were  quite  abundant.  The  second 
crop  had  less  of  the  thistles  and  the  third  crop  still  less.  The 
alfalfa  outgrew  its  competitor.  I  was  on  this  fifteen-acre  field  the 
third  year  after  it  had  been  seeded,  and  the  only  thistles  we  could 
find  were  in  a  few  patches  round  the  edge  of  the  field  and  on  one  or 
two  low  spots  where  the  alfalfa  had  killed  out. 

A  Weed  Fighter 

Our  common  weeds — in  fact,  practically  all  weeds  except  quack 
grass — are  held  in  subjugation  by  alfalfa.  Its  growth  is  so  dense, 
so  rapid  and  so  overmastering  that  with  the  frequent  cuttings  the 
weeds  have  little  opportunity  to  establish  themselves. 

This  is  a  benefit  that  cannot  be  ascribed  to  any  other  hay  crop. 
It  is  true  that  a  timothy  sod  or  a  good  stand  of  clover  will  in  a  measure 
subdue  weeds,  but_  neither  crop  can  be  compared  with  alfalfa  for 
effectual  weed  eradication.  Clover  does  not  last  long  enough,  and 
timothy  does  not  grow  fast  enough.  , 

No  Criticisms  on  Alfalfa  for  Feed 

The  most  pessimistic  critic  has  faith  in  alfalfa  hay  as  a  feed  for 
cattle,  hogs  and  sheep.  There  are  no  complaints  in  regard  to  its 
feeding  value.  It  has  a  unanimous  vote  of  approval.  It  is  high 
in  protein — that  valuable  and  high-priced  constituent  of  any  feed- 
stuff, which  builds  up  the  lean-meat  tissues,  the  bones,  and  the 
cheese-producing  part  of  the  milk. 

13 


The  Wisconsin  Experiment  Station  finds  that  one  acre  of  alfalfa 
will  produce  as  much  protein  as  three  acres  of  clover  or  nine  acres 
of  timothy.  Alfalfa  is  a  concentrated  hay  feed — equal  to  bran  for 
dairy  cows.  It  takes  the  place  of  costly  feed  products.  It  means 
home-grown  protein.  It  reduces  the  feed  bill.  It  is  relished  by  all 
farm  animals. 

Not  Always  the  Best 

What  more  could  one  expect  of  any  farm  crop?  And  yet  there 
are  good,  practical,  money-making  farmers  who  pay  no  attention 
to  the  popular  slogan,  "Alfalfa  on  every  farm."  Not  on  every  farm 
can  alfalfa  be  successfully  grown.  When  I  say  successfully  grown 
I  mean  profitably  grown,  because  you  can  grow  alfalfa  anywhere 
in  the  United  States  if  you  have  enough  money  to  make  conditions 
right  for  it. 

But  take,  for  example,  the  northern  parts  of  Wisconsin,  Minne- 
sota and  Michigan,  where  much  of  the  land  is  newly  cleared  and 


Fig.     9.     "Lest     We     Forget" 
Our  Old  Friend  Red  Clover 

Where  clover  grows  like  a  weed  and  alfalfa  is  difficult  and  costly 
to  establish,  it  should  not  be  too  strongly  emphasized. 

nearly  all  of  it  grows  clover  like  a  weed,  though  much  of  it  is  too 
acid  to  grow  alfalfa  readily.  That  alfalfa  can  be  grown  there  by  the 
use  of  lime  has  been  demonstrated  by  the  presence  of  many  excellent 
fields,  but  with  clover  so  abundant,  so  luxuriant  and  so  certain  and 
easily  established,  without  the  trouble  and  cost  of  liming  or  inocu- 
lating, do  you  blame  the  farmer  for  being  conservative  in  his  views 
on  alfalfa?  Do  you  blame  him  for  bein?  slow  to  take  a  chance  on  a 
new  crop  that  is  exacting  in  all  its  requirements,  especially  for  lime 
and  inoculation  and  a  carefully  prepared  seed  bed? 

14 


Where  Clover  May  be  Better  than  Alfalfa 

Furthermore,  clover  seeds  abundantly  in  the  North  and,  with  the 
second  crop  for  seed,  the  farmer  has  an  important  source  of  cash 
income  from  his  clover  field.  Alfalfa  does  not  produce  successful 
yields  of  seed  in  the  humid  areas.  In  general,  alfalfa-seed  pro- 
duction is  profitable  only  in  the  more  arid  sections  of  the  West. 
So  where  clover  grows  abundantly,  and  bounteous  yields  of  both 
hay  and  seed  are  easily  and  cheaply  obtained,  alfalfa  should  not  be 
too  much  emphasized,  especially  if  its  establishment  is  difficult, 
costly  and  uncertain. 

Where  Alfalfa  Beats  Clover 

In  many  of  the  older  sections  of  the  Middle  West  and  in  the  Eastern 
States,  clover  production  has  become  a  problem.  It  does  not  grow 


SILAGE  PAYS 

644  FARMS  WITH  SILOS  MADE  AN 
AVE. NET  PROFIT  PER  FARM  OF  *877. 

^$  $   $    $   $  I   $  $ 


186  FARMS  WITHOUT  SILOS  MADE  AN 
AVE.  NET  PROFIT  PER  FARM  OF  *534. 

FT? >  $ r 


Fig.  10.     Silos  Save  Feed  and  Money  Too. 

Wisconsin  has  over  60,000  and  is  building  more  and  more  every  year. 

as  it  did  years  ago  when  the  land  was  new.  It  is  hard  to  get  a  stand. 
Some  say  the  soil  is  "clover  sick,"  which  may  mean  almost  anything, 
but  nearly  always  does  mean  a  lack  of  lime. 

When  liming  is  necessary  for  clover,  alfalfa  may  prove  to  be  the 
more  profitable  crop,  for  with  lime  alfalfa  is  generally  no  more  diffi- 


15 


cult  to  establish  than  clover  and  the  yields  of  actual  feed  to  the  acre 
are  far  superior.  I  do  not  wish  to  discredit  the  value  of  clover.  It 
will  always  have  a  place  on  our  livestock  farms  because  it  fits  so  well 
in  our  short  rotations,  but  its  prominence  as  a  general  forage  crop 
is  giving  way  to  alfalfa,  especially  where  clover  fails  to  give  the  re- 
turns^and  yields  it  did  years  ago. 


ALFALFA  PAYS 

377  FARMS  GROWING  ALFALFA 
MADE  AN  AVERAGE  NET  PROFIT 
PER  FARM  OF  1200.00 

II  TT  7|  IT  TT  Tt  TT  TT  **  TT          TT       ^T 

511  FARMS  WITH  NO  ALFALFA 
MADE  AN  AVERAGE  NET  PROFIT 
PER  FARM  OF  *  728.00 

$  $$$$$$ 


Fig.   ii.     Average  results  obtained  on  888  Wisconsin  farms 
where  farm  accounts  are  kept. 

We   Need   More   Alfalfa 

Government  statistics,  (1910,)  illustrate  the  possibilities  of  extend- 
ing the  alfalfa  acreage  of  the  East  and  the  Middle  West.  According 
to  their  figures  the  New  England  States  were  growing  500  times  as 
many  acres  of  pure  timothy  as  of  alfalfa;  New  York,  Pennsylvania 
and  New  Jersey  had  fifty  times  as  much  timothy  as  alfalfa;  the 
North  Central  States  sixty-eight  times  as  much  acreage  of  timothy 
as  of  alfalfa. 

Alfalfa  Prejudice 

It  would  seem  that  there  is  still  much  room  for  more  alfalfa  in 
spite  of  all  the  good  work  that  has  been  done. 


16 


Fig.  12.      Live  Stock  and  Legumes,  the  Basis  of  Permanent  Agriculture. 

Grow  more  alfalfa  to  keep  more  and  better  live  stock. 


Fig.   13.     Plowing  under  the  third  crop  of  alfalfa  for  corn  is 
a  revolution  to  the   soil. 


17 


Fig.    14.    Late    Fall    Cutting    Weakens    Alfalfa. 

The  vigor  and  rapidity  of  spring  growth  is  seriously  impaired  following 
late  fall  cutting  or  pasturing. 

Sample  i.     Cut  September    2,  1914.     Height  May  12,  1915,  22  inches. 
Sample  2.     Cut  September  26,  1914.     Height  May  12,  1915,  17  idches. 


Fig.  15.  This  beautiful  sheaf  of  alfalfa  was  awarded  a  gold  medal  at  Panama 
Pacific  International  Exposition.  Grown  and  exhibited  by  Swartz  Bros., 
Cornfalfa  Farms,  Waukesha,  Wisconsin. 


18 


From  numerous  experiences,  I  am  convinced  that  one  of  the 
greatest  barriers  to  the  onward  progress  of  alfalfa  in  those  sections 
where  more  alfalfa  could  be  profitably  grown  is  the  unfavorable 
sentiment  developed  by  failures.  There  are  many  such  examples 
in  our  Middle  Western  and  Eastern  States.  I  have  observed  several 
of  them  and  it  always  is  the  same  old  story: 

"It  isn't  adapted  round  here.  Sam  So-and-So  tried  ten  acres  of 
it  and  he  got  only  seven  loads  off  his  whole  patch." 

Sam's  failure  might  be  very  easily  explained  and  the  remedy 
given,  but  it  makes  no  diffierence — Sam's  failure  is  the  principle 
topic  of  alfalfa  conversation.  It  has  molded  the  sentiment  of  that 
community  in  regard  to  alfalfa  and  will  retard  the  general  growth 
of  the  crop  in  that  section  for  years. 


Ex.  Gov.  W.  D.  Hoard  Prof.  R.  A.  Moore 

Fig.  1 6.     Pioneers,  Who  Made  Alfalfa,  A  Wisconsin  Crop. 

These  men  blazed  the  trail  and  made  the  way  for  the 
"Queen  of  Forage  Plants"  in  Wisconsin. 

Demonstrations,  institutes,  agricultural  schools,  and  state  alfalfa- 
growers'  organizations  must  break  down  prejudice  where  prejudice 
is  not  founded  upon  solid  facts. 

Every  state  has  its  alfalfa  problems,  but  everywhere  these  prob- 
lems are  being  solved.  In  some  sections  alfalfa  may  not  be  profit- 
able, but  in  most  places  it  would  be  a  big  paying  crop  if  alfalfa 
growing  was  understood  as  well  as  corn  growing  or  timothy  grow- 
ing. Too  often  alfalfa  is  a  neglected  crop  because  of  a  lack  of 
confidence  necessary  to  seed  it  right  and  to  use  the  extra  effort  and 
money  necessary  to  get  a  good  stand  the  first  time. 

19 


What  Alfalfa  Needs  Most — Lime 

Use  Lime  on  Sour  Soils  to  Prevent  Failure 


^T^HEN  a  man  fails  with  alfalfa  it  is  but  natural  for  him  to  re- 
fll  lieve  himself  of  all  blame.  It  is  human  nature  for  him  to  say: 
"Alfalfa  is  not  adapted  round  here.  It  doesn't  catch.  It 
doesn't  produce.  Lots  of  money  is  wasted  on  alfalfa.  It  has  failed 
with  me  and  I  am  through  with  it  for  good." 

Yet  for  every  alfalfa  failure  there  is  a  reason.  Depend  upon  it, 
if  you  fail  to  give  alfalfa  a  square  deal  it  will  balk.  If  you  don't 
know  what  alfalfa  requires  for  a  square  deal  you  would  better  not 
try  to  grow  it  until  you  have  found  out.  If  it  costs  too  much  to 
give  alfalfa  a  square  deal,  and  if  it  does  not  repay  you  for  your  effort, 
leave  it  out  of  your  crop  schedule. 


Fig.    17.     Mr.    Jas.    B.    Cheesman. 
First  President  of  the  Alfalfa  Order. 

True,  there  is  lots  of  money  wasted  on  alfalfa.  It  is  the  easiest 
thing  in  the  world  to  have  an  alfalfa  failure.  It  is  being  done  every 
year,  and  thousands  of  dollars  are  thrown  away  annually  in  trying 
to  grow  alfalfa.  Who  is  to  blame?  Is  it  the  alfalfa  or  is  it  the  man? 

See  that  your  Soil  Conditions  are  Right 

Alfalfa  growing  is  like  most  ventures:  It  is  the  man  behind  the 
gun  who  hits  the  mark — not  the  gun  alone.  And  if  you  don't  be- 
ieve  in  inoculation;  if  you  don't  believe  in  testing  your  soil  for  sour- 

20 


ness  and  using  lime  if  the  soil  is  acid;  if  you  don't  see  the  importance 
of  having  a  well-drained,  sloping  field,  don't  attempt  to  grow  alfalfa. 
You  will  have  better  luck  with  timothy — at  least  you  will  waste 
less  and  probably  will  make  more  money  with  timothy. 

Good  seed,  lime,  inoculation,  drainage  and  a  reasonably  fertile  soil 
with  a  porous  subsoil  make  a  square  deal  for  alfalfa. 

I  have  heard  many  discussions  of  methods  of  growing  alfalfa. 
Everybody  seems  to  have  a  different  scheme.  One  claims  it  is  best 
started  with  a  nurse  crop.  Another  says  it  should  be  planted  alone 
in  June.  Still  others  cry:  "Let  Jack  Frost  do  it!  Seed  your  al- 
falfa in  the  early  spring  on  frozen  ground."  I  am  going  to  set  forth 


Fig.    18.     A  Prosperous  Farm. 

Fine  farm  homes,  big  barns  and  herds  of  pure  bred  livestock  follow 
the  pathway  of  alfalfa's  growth  in  Wisconsin. 

in  this  article  one  general  principle  in  growing  alfalfa  anywhere, 
together  with  a  few  necessary  details.  The  details  are  the  methods, 
The  important  principle  is: 

See  that  your  soil  conditions  are  right! 

Limestone   Maps   the   Alfalfa   Area 

Make  your  soil  conditions  right  and  you  will  have  success.  I 
don't  care  what  method  you  use  provided'  it  comes  within  the  scope 
of  reasonable  farm  practice.  Money  is  squandered  in  trying  to 
grow  alfalfa  on  soil  that  is  not  naturally  alfalfa  soil,  without  liming, 
inoculating  and  supplying  the  crop  with  its  natural  requirements. 

When  I  hear  a  talk  on  growing  alfalfa  in  the  Middle  West  or  the 
East  I  applaud  most  enthusiastically  if  the  speaker  spends  three- 
quarters  of  his  time  on  lime,  inoculation  and  good  drainage,  and 
the  rest  of  the  time  on  methods. 

After  considerable  experience  and  travel  I  have  come  to  believe 
that  the  greatest  cultural  factor  in  growing  alfalfa  in  those  sections 
where  it  is  not  a  general  crop  is  the  use  of  lime.  Alfalfa  is  a  lime- 
loving  plant — more  so  than  any  other  farm  crop.  Four  tons  of  al- 
falfa remove  twenty  times  as  much  calcium — lime — from  the  soil 
as  the  straw  and  grain  of  a  thirty-bushel  wheat  crop.  A  ton  of  al- 
falfa hay  contains  nearly  a  hundred  pounds  of  lime! 

Limestone  has  mapped  the  great  alfalfa  areas  of  the  United  States. 
It  has  figured  most  prominently  in  the  historical  development  and 
growth  of  the  crop  in  this  country.  Alfalfa  was  first  introduced 

21 


into  California  in  1854.  Since  then  and  from  there  it  has  spread 
with  amazing  rapidity  all  through  the  Western  States.  Why?  Be- 
cause lime  is  most  abundant  in  those  soils. 

The  Oldest  Alfalfa  Section  in  the   U.  S. 

|  v  More  than  a  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago  the  colonists  tried  to 
grow  alfalfa  in  the  Eastern  States.  It  never  succeeded.  The  soil 
was  sour.  ^They  did  not  know^about  liming  at  that  time.  The 


Fig.  19.     The  blue  litmus  paper  turns  pink  when  placed  in  contact 
with  acid  soil. 

only  place  in  the  East  where  alfalfa  was  a  success  in' the  early  days 
was  Syracuse,  New  York.  Records  show  that  the  crop  has  been 
grown  there  successfully  for  more  than  a  hundred  years.  Why? 
Because  it  is  in  the  heart  of  a  limestone-soil  area. 

Alfalfa  Easy  to  Grow  with  Limed  Soil 

|J  Some  farmers  grow  alfalfa  successfully  with  no  more  effort  than 
is  necessary  for  timothy.  They  happen  to  have  natural  alfalfa  soil — 
meaning  soil  containing  a  goodly  supply  of  limestone  carbonates  and 
having  good  drainage. 

All  our  soils  contain  lime.  They  must  have  lime  to  support  plant 
growth.  But  many  soils  cannot  provide  a  sufficient  amount  of  this 
necessary  plant  food  for  such  a  lime-hungry  plant  as  alfalfa.  Lime 
on  some  soils  will  act  as  an  actual  fertilizer  for  alfalfa,  but  on  most 
soils  it  serves  principally  as  the  great  neutralizer  of  those  soil  acids 
which  make  the  land  sour  and  the  alfalfa  yellow  and  sickly. 

Rich  Land  may  be  too  Sour  to  Grow  Best  Alfalfa 

I  have  met  many  farmers  who  have  said:  "My  land  isn't  sour — 
why,  it's  all  upland.  It  grows  sweet  grass,  like  red  top  and  timothy. 
It  grows  good  corn  and  potatoes.  It's  rich  land — worth  $150  an 
acre.  It's  not  marsh  land.  Haven't  any  sour  slough  grass  growing 
on  the  farm!"  (See  Fig.  26.) 

They  forget  that  corn,  oats,  potatoes,  red  top  and  alsike  clover 
will  produce  well  on  a  soil  much  too  sour  to  grow  a  crop  of  alfalfa 
successfully.  And  it  is  often  true  that  muck  soils  which  grow  the 

22 


so-called  sour  grasses  are  not  acid.  They  may  be  just  the  opposite — • 
especially  when  they  are  surrounded  by  limestone  hills  whence  lime 
is  carried  in  the  natural  waters  into  the  marsh. 

Is  Your  Soil  Sour? 

Soils  are  sour  when  they  lack  sufficient  limestone  carbonates  to 
counteract  or  neutralize  acids  that  may  occur  in  both  the  poorest 
and  the  richest  of  soils.  Many  of  our  farms  which  grow  big  crops 
of  corn  and  potatoes  need  lime  to  grow  alfalfa. 

I  do  not  wish  to  say  all  soils  need  lime.  That  is  not  true.  Very 
rich  soils  will  sometimes  grow  alfalfa  even  though  they  are  quite  acid. 
But_so  many  soils  need  lime  that  all  should  be  tested  for  sourness 


Fig.  20.     It  Tells  How  Much  Lime  the  Soil  Needs. 

Truog's  test  not  only  determines  the  acidity  of  the  soil  but  gives 
the  amount  of  lime  required  to  grow  alfalfa  successfully. 

or  acidity  before  attempts  at  alfalfa  growing  are  made.  These  tests 
are  simple.  They  will  save  thousands  of  dollars  that  are  annually 
wasted  in  trying  to  grow  alfalfa  on  soils  too  sour  for  a  healthy  growth 
of  this  crop. 

The  Litmus  Test 

Not  long  ago  a  grower  "of  alfalfa  told  me:  "The  first  time  I  tried 
testing  my  soils  with  blue  litmus  paper  I  did  it  on  the  sly.  I  didn't 
want  anyone  to  know  about  it,  because  I  really  didn't  think  there 
was  much  to  it.  I  bought  a  dime's  worth.  Just  for  my  own  satis- 
faction I  tried  it  out  with  some  vinegar  and  it  did  turn  right  red. 

"Then  I  went  up  into  one  field  where  I  never  could  get  alfalfa 
started.  It  had  rained  the  day  before,  so  the  soil  was  moist.  I 
made  a  slit  in  the  ground  with  my  knife,  put  a  strip  of  the  litmus  in, 
and  closed  the  dirt  about  it.  I  left  it  there  for  five  minutes  and  then 
removed  the  dirt.  Well,  sir,  that  paper  had  turned  to  a  sort  of  mot- 
tled pink.  That  meant  the  soil  was  sour.  I  tried  it  in  three  or  four 
places  by  taking  handfuls  of  dirt  and  making  them  into  balls  with 
the  litmus  in  the  center,  and  they  all  did  the  same  thing. 

"I  WES  just  curious  enough  to  haul  out  three  loads  of  waste  air- 
slaked  lime  that  I  got  from  our  dealer  and  put  it  on  one  acre.  The 
next  year  I  inoculated  and  seeded  down  to  alfalfa  and  got  an  excel- 
lent stand  The  litmus  test  may  not  be  absolutely  reliable  for  all 
soils,  but  it's  a  mighty  close  indicator  of  soil  acids. 

23 


Truog's  Test  Best 

"I've  been  reading  about  the  Truog  Soil  Acidity  Test.  They  say 
it's  a  little  more  complicated,  but  it's  better  than  the  litmus  because 
it  tells  how  acid  the  soil  is  and  gives  one  a  better  idea  of  the  amount 
of  lime  to  use.  I've  been  sending  samples  of  my  soil  to  the  experi- 
ment station  to  be  tested  for  acidity.  It  gives  me  a  little  more  con- 
fidence in  spending  money  for  lime. 

"Do  you  know,  it  seems  mighty  queer  that  this  soil  about  here 
should  be  sour.  This  is  a  limestone  country  and  a  good  many  round 
here  don't  need  to  buy  lime.  But  it  pays  me  to  use  two  tons  to  the 
acre,  though  nearly  all  my  farm  is  underlaid  with  fine  gravelly  lime- 
stone subsoil.  The  surface  is  sour.  The  experts  say  that  rain, 
with  the  aid  of  years  of  cultivation,  has  leached  the  lime  out  of  the 
top  eight  inches.  This,  together  with  the  lime  removed  in  crops 
taken  off  the  land  has  seriously  reduced  the  supply.  My  experience 
has  really  shown  that. 

"I  found  that  the  first  year  after  I  had  seeded  alfalfa  on  my  soil, 
when  I  didn't  use  lime  the  alfalfa  never  grew  well.  It  was  thick 
enough,  but  it  always  looked  yellowish  and  I  never  got  a  very  good 
first  or  second  crop. 

The  next  year  it  would  make  a  surprisingly  healthy  green  and 
rapid  growth. 

Limestone  Soils  May  Need  Lime 

"It  gradually  dawned  upon  me  that  the  improvement  was  due  to 
the  fact  that  the  roots  in  the  early  life  of  the  crop  were  drawing  their 
nutriment  from  the  surface  soil,  in  which  lime  was  lacking.  Later, 
when  the  roots  were  more  widely  established  in  the  subsoil,  the 
plants  could  get  all  the  lime  they  wanted  and  they  made  thrifty 
growth.  I  know  of  a  good  many  farmers  who  say  that  their  stands 
and  yields  of  alfalfa  improve  with  age  for  the  first  two  or  three  years. 
Others  say  just  the  opposite.  I  believe  the  lime  content  of  the  sub- 
soil has  something  to  do  with  it." 

This  is  undoubtedly  true.  If  the  surface  soil  is  sour  and  the  sub- 
soil has  abundant  lime  alfalfa  will  improve  rapidly  as  the  roots  be- 
come established.  If  both  surface  soil  and  subsoil  are  sour  the  al- 
falfa will  rapidly  deteriorate  with  age  or  will  fail  at  the  outset.  The 
surface  soil  may  be  neutral  and  the  subsoil  sour  if  the  land  has  been 
cropped  heavily,  taking  much  of  the  lime  out  of  the  subsoil  and  put- 
ting it  into  the  surface  soil  as  the  manure  is  returned.  Such  a  con- 
dition does  not  prevent  successful  alfalfa  production.  I  have  ob- 
served many  excellent  fields  growing  under  these  very  conditions. 

The  principal  point  to  consider  is  to  have  the  surface  eight  inches 
or  more  well  supplied  with  lime.  It  is  here  that  the  alfalfa  bacteria 
and  the  alfalfa  roots  are  most  abundant  and  active,  and  it  is  here 
that  they  need  lime  to  make  conditions  favorable. 

The  Kind  to  Buy 

What  kind  of  lime  shall  be  used?  When  is  the  best  time  to  apply 
it?  How  shall  it  be  done?  These  are  very  common  inquiries. 

Ground  limestone,  marl,  air-slaked  lime,  lime  refuse  from  sugar- 
beet  factories  or  lime  kilns,  and  fresh  lime  are  all  good,  if  bought 
right  and  used  right.  Generally  freight  is  the  most  costly  item  in 
buying  agricultural  lime.  Particularly  because  of  this  reason,  it  is 

24 


to  the  best  interest  of  the  lime  buyer  to  look  to  the  moisture  content 
of  the  product — especially  in  the  case  of  the  so-called  waste  limes, 
which  are  by-products  of  factories  and  are  often  exposed  to  rain. 

Find  out  Moisture  Content  of  Waste  Lime 

I  bought  a  carload  of  lime  refuse  from  a  sugar-beet  factory,  paying 
less  than  a  dollar  a  ton.  The  freight  was  nearly  two  dollars  a  ton. 
It  was  excellent  lime.  I  thought  it  was  cheap.  It  looked  dry,  but 
was  not  dusty — in  fact,  it  felt  just  a  little  damp  when  handled.  I 
had  it  analyzed.  I  could  hardly  believe  it  when  told  that  it  was 
pure  lime  carbonate  but  contained  forty  per  cent  moisture!  It  was 
very  expensive  lime  when  you  consider  that  in  a  twenty-ton  car 
eight  tons  were  water,  on  which  I  had  paid  sixteen  dollars  freight. 

Ground  Limestone  Most  Commonly  Used 

Ground  limestone  rock  may  come  in  several  grades  of  fineness — 
the  best  grade  and  highest-priced  grade  being  that  ground  to  the 


Fig.  21.     A  Portable  Lime  Grinder  in  Action. 

Lime  rock  which  analyzes  above  90  per  cent  carbonates  and  is  easily 
quarried  may  be  cooperatively  ground  with  portable  grinders. 

fineness  of  dust.  This  latter  quality  gives  the  quickest  returns, 
and  less  needs  to  be  applied.  When  freight  rates  are  an  important 
item  and  long  hauls  are  necessary  it  is  best  to  buy  the  highest  grade 
because  of  the  smaller  amount  needed. 

A  larger  amount  of  coarse  ground  limestone  must  be  used,  but 
if  it  can  be  laid  down  on  the  farm  at  low  cost,  both  for  the  product 
and  for  transportation,  it  will  prove  satisfactory  and  economical  if 
not  too  coarse. 

Use  Lump  Lime  with  Care 

Fresh  lump  lime  may  be  the  cheapest  to  use,  especially  with 
long  hauls  from  the  station  and  high  freight  costs.  Fresh  lime  is 
lime  in  a  concentrated  form.  One  ton  of  it  is  equal  to  two  tons  of 
the  best  ground  limestone  or  air-slaked  lime.  It  is  always  free  of 
excess  moisture.  But  it  is  caustic.  It  burns.  If  applied  directly 
to  the  soil  it  may  burn  out  the  humus  and  injure  the  soil  fertility.  It 
should  be  used  with  care,  especially  when  soils  are  lacking  in  humus 
or  organic  matter.  It  is  unpleasant  to  handle. 

25 


This  difficulty  can  be  obviated  by  slaking  the  quicklime  to  a 
powder  before  applying.  Sometimes  this  is  accomplished  by  dis- 
tributing lump  lime  in  piles  of  about  fifty  pounds  each  every  two 
rods  on  the  plowed  field. 

This  gives  an  application  of  about  one  ton  to  the  acre,  which  will 
be  equivalent  in  its  effect  to  two  tons  of  the  finest  ground  limestone. 

To  each  pile  is  added  about  three  gallons  of  water  and  it  is  then 
covered  with  soil  and  allowed  to  remain  a  few  weeks,  until  the  lime 
has  become  well  slaked.  It  can  then  be  spread  uniformly  over  the 
soil  with  a  shovel. 

Lime — A  Business  Proposition 

The  kind  of  lime  used  is  principally  a  business  proposition.  Al- 
most any  form  of  lime  will  neutralize  soil  acids  if  applied  in  a  large 
amount.  But  it  is  a  matter  of  judgment  to  get  your  soil  sweetened 
for  alfalfa  at  the  lowest  cost. 

The  amount  of  lime  required  depends  upon  the  degree  of  soil 
acidity.  The  Truog  Soil  Acidity  Tester  determines  this  accurately 
for  all  practical  purposes.  The  litmus  test  does  so  to  a  certain  ex- 
tent. If  the  paper  turns  a  distinct  pink  rapidly  the  soil  is  generally 
very  sour  and  will  require  from  two  to  four  tons  of  the  best  grade  of 
ground  limestone,  marl  or  air-slaked  lime,  or  one  to  two  tons  of 
fresh  lump  lime.  If  coarse  ground  limestone  is  used  three  to  six 
tons  may  be  necessary.  In  all  events  it  is  always  better  to  apply 
too  much  than  too  little. 

At   Least  Two  Tons  to  the  Acre 

Not  long  ago  I  saw  a  thick  stand  of  alfalfa  that  was  sickly  and  yellow. 
It  did  not  grow.  The  soil  had  been  limed  and  inoculated.  One  and 
a  half  tons  of  ground  limestone  had  been  put  on  each  acre  the  fall 
before  the  alfalfa  was  seeded.  We  tested  the  soil.  It  was  still  sour. 

I  asked  the  farmer  what  grade  of  limestone  he  used. 

' '  I  have  a  little  pile  of  it  left  over  here, ' '  he  replied.  "  1 1 's  ra ther  coarse. 

Yes,  it  was  coarse.  A  good  deal  of  it  was  larger  than  the  end  of 
your  finger.  He  should  have  used  at  least  four  tons  of  this  grade 
of  limestone  The  increased  yield  would  have  paid  the  extra  cost. 

You  cannot  apply  too  much  lime  for  alfalfa.  Twenty  tons  to  the 
acre  would  do  no  harm,  but  of  course  dollars  and  cents  will  limit  the 
application  to  about  the  amount  necessary  for  the  neutralization  of 
the  soil  acids  that  prevent  the  proper  development  of  the  alfalfa. 

Do  not  be  Stingy  with  Lime 

I  do  not  believe  it  ever  pays  to  be  stingy  with  lime.  Two  tons  of 
the  best  ground  limestone,  or  the  equivalent  thereof  in  other  forms 
of  lime,  is  none  too  much  for  any  soil  that  is  sour.  The  soil  may 
require  only  one  ton  of  lime  at  the  time  of  application,  but  the  extra 
ton  will  make  the  effect  last  over  a  greater  number  of  years  and  will 
insure  vigorous  alfalfa. 

When  to  Apply  Lime 

On  the  heavier  soils  lime  is  best  applied  in  the  fall.  On  sandy 
soils,  which  leach  rapidly,  liming  in  the  spring  is  best.  It  is  always 
well  to  give  the  lime  a  month  or  more  time  to  act  on  the  soil  and 
correct  some  of  the  acidity  before  the  alfalfa  is  planted.  This  is 
not  always  necessary,  but  it  is  advisable. 

26 


How  to  Apply  Lime 

Never  plow  lime  under.  Put  it  on  the  surface  soil  and  harrow  it 
in,  so  as  to  incorporate  it  well  with  the  soil. 

On  large  areas  a  fertilizer  drill  can  be  used  in  distributing  any  fine 
form  of  lime.  Special  lime  distributors  are  used  with  both  coarse 
and  fine  lime,  but  with  small  areas  the  farmer  is  hardly  justified  in 
buying  a  special  lime  drill.  He  can  spread  it  with  a  shovel. 


Fig.   22.     Spreading  Lime  with  a  Distributer. 

This  is  not  a  pleasant  job,  even  on  a  quiet  day.  It  may  neces- 
sitate the  use  of  goggles  to  protect  the  eyes,  and  a  wet  cloth  over 
the  nose. 

Manure  Spreader  Works  Fine 

A  manure  spreader  will  eliminate  the  dust  difficulty.  Cover  the 
apron  with  a  few  inches  of  fine  manure.  If  you  wish  to  apply  three 
tons  of  lime  to  the  acre  distribute  1500  pounds  evenly  over  the  sur- 
face of  the  manure.  Set  your  spreader  at  four  loads  to  the  acre — 
usually  the  lowest  gear.  At  this  rate  you  will  be  applying  6000 
pounds  or  three  tons  of  lime  on  your  soil.  With  this  standard  the 
amount  applied  can  be  easily  regulated.  (See  Pig.  27.) 

Lime  is  often  spread  from  a  wagon  as  fast  as  it  is  hauled  from  the 
car.  This  saves  rehandling. 

To  gauge  your  applications,  three  shovelfuls  to  a  square  rod  will  make 
two  tons  to  the  acre,  provided  the  shovel  will  hold  eight  pounds  of  lime. 

Apply  Lime  as  Top  Dressing  only  with  Loose  Open  Soils 

Suppose  you  have  alfalfa  on  a  sour  soil  and  it  fails  to  produce 
well.  Is  it  practicable  to  apply  lime  directly  to  a  growing  alfalfa  field? 

Under  no  circumstances  should  quicklime  or  fresh  lime  be  used 
for  this  purpose,  for  the  caustic  properties  of  such  lime  are  very  apt 
to  kill  the  alfalfa  plants.  Finely  divided  ground  limestone,  marl 
or  air-slaked  lime  may  be  used.  They  will  prove  helpful,  especially 
on  loose,  open  sandy  soils  where  the  lime  will  work  its  way  down 
into  the  soil  where  it  is  needed. 

It  should  be  applied  early  in  the  spring,  before  the  frost  is  out  of 
the  ground.  Top  dressing  heavy  soils  with  lime  will  not  be  nearly 
so  effective,  and  often  satisfactory  results  are  not  obtained.  Lime 
applied  to  a  plowed  field  before  seeding  is  alway  s  more  profitable 
than  lime  applied  after  seeding. 


27 


Giving  Alfalfa  a  Square  Deal 

Inoculation  More  Important  than  Manure 


IF  A  BEGINNER  in  growing  alfalfa  were  to   ask  me  "Which 
shall  I  do,  inoculate  my  field  with  one  load  of  alfalfa  or  sweet- 
clover  soil  or  apply  ten  loads  of  manure  to  the  acre?"     I  should 
tell  him  to  do  both.     If  he  could  not  do  both  I  should  advise  him  to 
apply  one  load  of  soil. 

This  is  not  written  to  discredit  the  value  of  manure.  It  is  writ- 
ten to  assert  that  one  load  of  necessary  inoculation  soil  is  worth 
more  in  getting  a  stand  of  alfalfa  than  ten  loads  of  manure  are  worth. 
This  has  been  shown  by  experiment  as  well  as  by  farm  experience. 
Not  long  ago  I  received  the  following  letter  from  a  Wisconsin  be- 
ginner in  alfalfa  culture: 

A  Wisconsin  Farmer's  Experience 

"I  am  in  sore  trouble.  The  ten  acres  of  alfalfa  sowed  last  July 
made  a  very  heavy  growth  last  fall,  going  into  winter  quarters  with 
from  one  foot  to  sixteen  inches  covering.  It  came  through  fine. 
It  is  now  from  four  to  twelve  inches  high  and  commencing  to  look 
yellow  and  rusty.  Upon  investigation  I  can  find  no  nodules  on  the 
roots.  I  limed  heavily  with  air-slaked  lime  but  did  not  inoculate. 

"In  preparing  the  land  we  plowed  under  ten  tons  to  the  acre  of 
mixed  stable  manure  and  cultivated  the  land  until  July  twenty- 
eighth,  when  the  seed  was  sown.  Much  of  the  alfalfa  is  now  turn- 
ing yellow  before  getting  as  tall  as  last  fall's  growth  was,  as  indi- 
cated by  the  dry  stalks  now  standing  above  the  green,  which  causes 
me  to  think  that  last  year's  growth  must  have  exhausted  the  nitro- 
gen and  now,  not  having  nodules  on  the  roots,  the  plants  are  unable 
to  gather  any  from  the  air  and  are  starving."  (See  Fig.  29.) 

This  man  inoculated  his  yellow  and  sickly  alfalfa  shortly  after  the 
first  crop  was  cut.  He  spread  the  inoculation  soil  with  a  manure 
spreader  in  strips  the  width  of  the  spreader,  but  due  to  a  lack  of 
sufficient  soil  he  left  a  space  of  eight  or  ten  feet  uninoculated  every 
trip  he  made  across  the  field.  He  then  dragged  the  field  at  right 
angles  to  the  direction  in  which  the  inoculated  strips  ran,  so  as  to 
spread  the  inoculated  dirt  as  much  as  possible.  What  was  the 

result? 

• 

Marvelous  Results 

Late  that  summer  his  field  looked  like  the  Star-Spangled  Banner, 
with  stripes  not  red  and  white,  but  green  and  yellow  and  tall  and 
short.  The  cross  harrowing  failed  to  distribute  the  inoculation  dirt 
thoroughly,  and  in  consequence  the  uninoculated  strips  remained 
sickly  and  yellow,  while  those  strips  that  received  inoculation  be- 
came healthy  and  vigorous.  This  is  but  one  of  many  illustrations 
I  could  cite  on  the  value  and  importance  of  inoculation. 

28 


In  Some  Places  Inoculation  not  Necessary 

"But  how  is  it  that  over  in  our  country  where  we  have  never  in- 
oculated we  have  been  growing  alfalfa  for  years  with  good  success?" 
asked  a  farmer  of  one  of  the  Lake  Shore  counties  of  Wisconsin. 

That  was  a  good  question.  And  what  he  says  is  true.  Fields 
along  roadsides  where  sweet  clover  grows  abundantly  are  inocu- 
lated by  the  bacteria-laden  dust  that  blows  over  them.  Further 
than  that,  soils  rich  in  lime,  even  far  distant  from  any  such  a  source 
of  inoculation  as  sweet  clover,  will  produce  successful  crops  of  alfalfa 
if  in  addition  to  their  lime  content  they  abound  in  fertility,  particu- 
larly organic  matter.  In  such  cases  alfalfa  draws  on  the  soil  for  its 
nitrogen  instead  of  getting  it  from  the  air,  until  it  becomes  self-inoc- 
ulated. 

But  no  doubt  such  fields  would  give  larger  yields  of  alfalfa  hay 
the  first  two  or  three  years  if  the  bacteria  were  supplied  in  large 
enough  numbers  by  proper  inoculation  to  effect  an  immediate  de- 


Fig.  23.     Inoculation  Increases  the  Yield  and  May  Prevent  Failure. 

velopment  of  nodules  on  the  roots.  Often  in  such  cases,  especially 
on  poor  soils,  the  second  and  third  crops  grow  poorly,  due  to  a  lack 
of  sufficient  nitrogen  for  the  rapid  growth  of  the  alfalfa.  Yes,  there 
are  those  who  grow  alfalfa  for  the  first  time  without  inoculation, 
but  for  every  success  ten  or  more  failures  will  be  reported. 

Unseen  Builders  of  Fertility 

Not  long  ago  I  walked  out  into  an  alfalfa  field  with  a  German 
farmer.  He  was  enthusiastic  about  alfalfa,  having  twenty  acres 
well  established.  "I  did  like  you  said  when  I  wrote  you  three  years 
ago.  I  hauled  one  load  of  sweet-clover  dirt  and  spread  it  over  one 
acre  just  before  I  seeded  my  alfalfa.  But  one  corner  I  left  without 
the  dirt.  That  winter-killed  bad.  Blue  grass  soon  came  in  where 
I  did  not  inoculate.  Where  I  spread  the  dirt  I  got  a  fine  stand. 
Why  is  that?" 

With  a  shovel  we  carefully  dug  up  some  of  the  alfalfa  roots.  We 
broke  away  the  dirt  and  found  an  abundance  of  nodules.  They 
were  the  first  he  had  ever  seen.  1  then  explained  that  those  swel- 
lings were  the  homes  of  the  bacteria  he  had  introduced  into  his  soil 
with  the  sweet-clover  dirt  and  that  the  bacteria  converted  the  nitro- 
gen gas  of  the  air  into  a  liquid  form  which  was  an  actual  fertilizer 
for  the  plants.  (See  Figs.  28  and  29.) 

We  went  over  to  the  little  strip  he  had  left  uninoculated  and  made 
a  search  .for  nodules.  They  were  very  hard  to  find.  He  was 

29 


prised.  I  took  advantage  of  his  deep  interest  and  pointed  out  that 
this  alfalfa  was  not  thrifty  because  it  had  to  depend  entirely  upon 
the  soil  for  its  nitrogen  and  there  was  not  a  sufficient  amount  avail- 
able to  supply  the  needs  of  such  a  rapid-growing  crop  as  alfalfa. 
On  the  inoculated  area  the  bacteria  supplied  the  deficiency  and  the 
alfalfa  was  thrifty.  (See  Pig.  29.) 

"More  people  will  inoculate  when  they  know  what  it  means," 
he  declared.  "Alfalfa  makes  the  land  rich  and  the  farmer  rich  too!" 
Nodules  on  Alfalfa  Roots  Worth  Thousands  of  Dollars  in  Building 
up  Soil! 

There  are  many  who  have  never  seen  the  root  nodules  of  alfalfa 
or  of  clover.  They  are  too  busy  making  money  to  have  time  for 
the  inspection  of  the  swellings  on  alfalfa  or  red-clover  roots.  Yet 
those  very  nodules  are  worth  untold  thousands  of  dollars  to  the 
farmers  of  every  land  in  keeping  up  the  soil  fertility.  Without 


Fig.  24.     Sweet  Clover  Dirt  for  Inoculation. 

Along  the  roadside  where  sweet  clover  is  growing    inoculated  soil 
can  be  obtained. 

them  the  country  might  face  famine,  due  to  a  depletion  of  soil  nitro- 
gen. Many  of  the  worn-out  and  abandoned  farms  of  the  Eastern 
States  would  still  be  productive  if  they  had  been  managed  with 
legumes  instead  of  with  timothy  and  grain  alone.  (See  Fig.  7.) 

Ancients   Knew  Alfalfa  Made   Soil   Rich 

The  soil-enriching  properties  of  leguminous  crops  were  appre- 
ciated centuries  ago.  Columella,  an  ancient  Roman  writer,  wrote 
not  less  than  1£OQ  years  ago  that  alfalfa  "dungs  the  land."  It 
makes  the  soil  rich.  r 

But  it  was  only  thirty  years  ago  that  scientists  discovered^ why 
alfalfa  improves  the  fertility  of  the  soil.  It  was  only  thirty  years 
ago  that  those  minute  bodies  or  organisms  we  now  call  bacteria  were 
discovered.  They  have  since  had  a  most  profound  influence  on 
agricultural  practice,  ^i 

Our  best  farmers  have  been  employing  these  unseen  builders  of 
soil  fertility  on  their  farms  by  growing  legumes — alfalfa,  clover, 

30 


soy  beans,  cowpeas  and  so  on  in  proper  rotation  with  other  crops. 
They  minimize  the  fertilizer  burden  which  is  inevitably  levied  upon 
depleted  soils.  They  keep  up  soil  fertility,  which  is  the  basis  of 
rural  prosperity. 

Inoculation  not  Expensive 

Inoculation  means  simply  the  introduction  into  the  soil  of  the 
right  bacteria  for  alfalfa.  Most  soils  are  filled  with  the  proper 
bacteria  for  clover  and  it  is  only  in  a  few  places  that  inoculation  is 
necessary  for  that  crop.  But  where  alfalfa  is  a  new  crop  the  alfalfa 


Fig.    25.     Spreading   Inoculation   Soil   by   Hand. 

Where  the  dirt  is  spread  by  hand  the  distribution  is  more  uniform 

and  500  pounds  an  acre  is  sufficient.     If  spread  with  a 

shovel  a  load  per  acre  should  be  used. 

germs  are  not  present  in  sufficient  numbers  properly  to  assist  the 
crop  in  its  growth  and  development.  Clover  germs  will  not  develop 
on  alfalfa  rcots.  Consequently  we  must  inoculate  with  alfalfa  bac- 
teria. This  is  not  a  difficult  or  costly  process. 

Sweet  Clover  Assists 

Along  the  roadsides  of  many  sections  a  formerly  much-despised 
weed  but  now  a  valued  farm  crop  grows  wild  and  luxuriant.  It  is 
the  sweet-clover  plant — first  cousin  of  alfalfa.  It,  too,  has  bacteria 
and  nodules  on  the  roots,  and  they  are  identically  the  same  germs 
that  are  so  necessary  for  alfalfa.  A  load  or  ton  of  the  surface  eight 
inches  of  dirt  taken  from  roadsides  where  sweet  clover  is  growing, 
spread  over  each  acre  of  the  field  just  before  seeding  the  alfalfa,  and 
then  harrowed  in,  will  accomplish  the  proper  inoculation.  Soil  trans- 
ferred from  a  successful  alfalfa  field  is  likewise  satisfactory. 

Inoculating    Alfalfa    Seed 

The  Alfalfa  Order,  Madison,  Wis.,  will  supply  at  cost  price  of 
about  25  cents  an  acre,  inoculation  cultures  in  bottles,  to  farmers, 
with  complete  directions  for  applying  these  bacterial  growths  to  the 
alfalfa  seed  prior  to  sowing.  The  cultures  are  carefully  prepared  by 

31 


the  Wisconsin  Experiment  Station.  While  this  method  is  not  so 
certain  as  spreading  inoculated  soil,  very  good  results  have  obtained 
where  these  fresh  cultures  have  been  used. 

Mix  Alfalfa  With  Timothy  and  Clover 

A  good  scheme  to  get  the  entire  farm  inoculated  for  future  crops 
of  alfalfa  is  to  use  a  mixture  of  two  pounds  of  alfalfa  seed  an  acre 
with  every  grass  and  clover  seeding. 

The  scattered  alfalfa  plants  gradually  develop  the  inoculation  in 
the  soil  in  two  or  more  years.  Inoculation  is  hastened  if  the  alfalfa 
seed  is  first  treated  with  a  good  inoculation  culture  or  an  equal  weight 
of  fine  dried  sweet-clover  or  alfalfa  dirt.  A  weak  solution  of  glue 
or  molasses  is  used  to  dampen  the  seed  slightly  before  the  dust  is 
applied.  A  little  care  must  be  used  to  avoid  having  the  seeds  stick 
together  in  bunches. 

Glue  Method  of  Inoculation 

The  glue  method  of  inoculating  alfalfa  seed  is  simple,  convenient 
and  quite  effective.  The  plan  is  to  coat  the  seeds  with  inoculated 
soil — that  is  soil  containing  the  proper  nitrogen  gathering  bacteria 
for  alfalfa  before  planting.  Proceed  as  follows, — Dissolve  two  hand- 
fuls  of  furniture  glue  in  a  gallon  of  boiling  water.  Allow  this  solu- 
tion to  cool.  Moisten  the  seed  (do  not  wet  it)  with  dilute  glue 
using  about  one  quart  of  the  solution  for  one  bushel  of  alfalfa  seed. 
Sprinkle  the  glue  on  evenly  and  stir  the  seed  thoroughly  so  as  to  get 
each  seed  slightly  moist. 

Now  then  we  are  ready  to  apply  the  inoculation  soil.  Go  along 
the  roadsides  where  sweet  clover  is  growing  and  dig  up  about  a  gal- 
lon of  dirt  for  each  bushel  of  alfalfa  seed.  Dig  this  dirt  near  the 
sweet  clover  roots.  If  you  do  not  have  sweet  clover  growing  in  your 
section,  soil  from  a  successful  alfalfa  patch  will,  of  course,  serve  the 
same  purpose  and  will  be  equally  effective.  Dry  this  soil  in  the 
shade  or  in  the  barn  or  basement  where  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun 
will  not  reach  it.  After  it  is  dry  pulverize  it  by  hand  into  a  fine 
dust.  Scatter  this  dust  over  the  moistened  seed  stirring  vigorously 
so  as  to  mix  thoroughly  at  the  rate  of  about  one  gallon  of  soil  to  one 
bushel  of  seed.  While  the  alfalfa  seeds  may  stick  together  some- 
what when  first  moistened  with  the  glue  solution,  after  the  appli- 
cation of  the  dry  inoculation  dirt  they  separate  readily  and  no  diffi- 
culty will  be  experienced  in  seeding.  This  method  of  inoculation 
is  especially  advantageous  where  the  supply  of  inoculation  soil  is 
shipped  from  a  distance  or  otherwise  limited. 

Lasts  Many  Years 

Inoculation  is  neither  difficult  nor  expensive.  As  far  as  we  know, 
a  field  once  inoculated  is  always  inoculated.  However,  where  alfalfa 
is  not  grown  for  an  interval  of  six  or  eight  years  reinoculation  is 
helpful. 


32 


'         Getting  Started  With  Alfalfa 

The  Time,  the  Place  and  Amount  to  Sow  for  Best  Results 

fO  MUCH  is  written  about  growing  alfalfa  that  we  must  use 
the  proverbial  grain  of  salt  more  or  less  liberally  in  applying 
what  we  read  to  our  local  farm  practices.  One  thing  sure  is 
that  we  farmers  east  of  the  Mississippi  and  north  of  Mason  and 
Dixon's  line  must  keep  our  ears  closed  to  much  of  the  advice  that 
hails  from  the  Far  Southwest. 

Such  information  as  five  pounds  of  seed  being  sufficient  for  one 
acre  may  apply  to  a  semiarid  country,  like  many  of  the  alfalfa- 
growing  sections  of  the  West,  but  not  to  those  humid  areas  where 
the  annual  precipitation  is  round  thirty  inches.  Likewise  with  late 
fall  seeding,  which  is  probably  most  advantageous  where  mild  fall 
and  winter  climatic  conditions  obtain,  but  not  where  winter  temper- 
atures begin  in  November.  (See  Fig.  33.) 

Beware  of  Southwestern  Advice 

"But,"  our  Western  friends  argue,  "is  it  not  true  that  five  pounds 
of  alfalfa  seed  distributed  over  one  acre  will  give  you  twenty-five 
seeds  for  each  square  foot  of  surface?  If  twenty  of  those  produce 
alfalfa  plants  you  will  have  a  good  thick  stand.  Why  use  twenty 
pounds  of  seed  to  the  acre?" 

What  they  say  is  all  very  true,  but  there  are  some  "ifs"  to  be  con- 
sidered that  distinguish  between  theory  and  practice  in  the  humid 
states.  If  we  had  a  perfect  seed  bed — a  soil  abundantly  supplied 
with  lime  and  organic  matter,  well  drained,  thoroughly  inoculated 
and  weed-free;  if  the  alfalfa  seeds  germinated  100  per  cent  and  if 
they  were  distributed  uniformly  and  all  covered  just  deep  enough — 
not  too  deep  or  too  shallow — for  germination;  if  we  had  neither 
drought  nor  excessive  rain,  then,  to  be  sure,  three  to  five  pounds  an 
acre  would  be  a  great  sufficiency. 

Fifteen  to  Twenty  Pounds  of  Seed  Best  for  Beginners 

But  herewith  are  the  actual  facts  and  figures  from  a  co-operative 
experimental  test  made  by  180  Wisconsin  farmers,  who  for  a  period 
of  three  years  compared  ten  and  twenty  pound  rates  of  seeding. 
Eighty-one  per  cent  of  these  practical  farmers  reported  that  blue 
grass  and  weeds  gave  much  more  trouble  with  the  ten-pound  rate 
and  that  the  twenty-pound  seeding  gave  a  larger  yield  of  finer- 
stemmed  alfalfa  and  consequently  a  hay  of  much  better  quality. 

In  answer  to  the  question  "Which  is  the  best  rate  of  seeding  on 
weed-free,  not  acid,  inoculated,  and  carefully  prepared  soil?"  re- 
plies were  received  as  follows: 

47  per  cent  declared  for  20  pounds  an  acre. 
36  per  cent  declared  for  15  pounds  an  acre. 
1  7  per  cent  declared  for  10  pounds  an  acre. 

Even  under  excellent  soil  conditions  the  farmers'  verdict  is  in 
favor  of  the  fifteen  and  twenty  pound  rates.  But  when  alfalfa  was 
seeded  for  the  first  time  under  average  farm  conditions,  with  the 

33 


seed  bed  fairly  well  prepared,  but  somewhat  weedy,  the  replies  were 
decidedly  for  the  heavy  seedings: 

91  per  cent  declared  in  favor  of  20  pounds  an  acre. 
7  per  cent  declared  in  favor  of  1  5  pounds  an  acre. 
2  per  cent  declared  in  favor  of  10  pounds  an  acre. 

Naturally  the  farmer  would  prefer  the  ten-pound  rate  because  of 
the  lower  seed  cost,  but  in  spite  of  this  his  judgment  is  for  double 
the  amount,  especially  for  those  beginning  alfalfa  growing.  This 
should  not  convey  the  impression  that  a  few  extra  pounds  of  seed 
will  make  up  for  a  pODrly  prepared  seed  bed,  but  it  does  mean  that 
weeds  and  blue  grass  necessitate  heavy  seeding  for  the  farmers  of 
the  East  and  Middle  West. 

Less  Seed  Required  with  Good  Soil  Preparation 

After  alfalfa  has  been  successfully  grown  for  a  number  of  years 
on  a  farm  and  the  soil  has  become  thoroughly  inoculated  and  adapted, 
ten  to  fifteen  pounds  an  acre  may  prove  sufficient.  This  is  especially 
true  when  good  seed  of  the  hardy  and  wide-spreading  strains  of 
variegated  alfalfa,  such  as  Grimm,  Baltic,  Canadian  or  Cossack,  is  used. 

The  Eight-Inch  Rule 

It  is  not  possible  to  formulate  a  rigid  set  of  rules  for  growing  al- 
falfa, but  here  is  one  that  can  always  be  safely  followed:  Alfalfa 
should  have  a  growth  of  at  least  eight  inches  before  winter  weather 
occurs.  It  requires  this  amount  of  growth  to  withstand  the  rigors 
of  alternate  freezing  and  thawing.  (See  Fig.  45.) 

Late  Summer  Seeding  Dangerous 

This  means  that  the  seed  must  be  sown  in  the  spring  or  early 
enough  in  the  summer  or  fall  to  arrive  at  eight-inch  development 
before  the  first  alfalfa-killing  frosts.  August  seeding  may  do  very 
well  where  "growing  weather  lasts  well  on  into  November,  but  it  is 
very  risky  in  such  northern  states  as  Wisconsin,  Michigan  and  Min- 
nesota. In  the  northern  part  of  these  states  I  have  known  of  failure 
by  winter-killing  of  alfalfa  seeded  July  fifteenth,  while  success  ob- 
tained in  adjacent  fields  seeded  in  June. 

Because  of  widely  varying  soil  and  climatic  conditions  it  is  im- 
possible to  set  a  definite  date  after  which  it  is  too  late  to  seed  alfalfa 
in  any  given  locality,  but  the  eight-inch  rule  will  apply  most  em- 
phatically where  winter-killing  is  a  problem  to  be  contended  with. 

Slow  Spring  Growth  Follows  Late  Summer  or  Fall  Seeding 

A  plant  with  its  root  system  well  established  is  equipped  to  with- 
stand cold  and  freezing  much  better  than  one  that  has  just  started 
to  grow.  This  is  well  illustrated  by  an  experiment  at  the  Wiscon- 
sin station.  Seedings  were  made  August  fourth  and  twenty-fifth, 
September  fifteenth  and  twenty-fifth,  The  following  spring  a  re- 
markable difference  in  the  size  and  vigDr  of  growth  resulted — the 
later  seedings  being  decidedly  weaker,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  ex- 
cellent fall  growing  weather  occurred  after  each  seeding  and  the 
winter  was  very  mild.  Under  severe  climatic  conditions  undoubt- 
edly the  last  three  plantings  would  have  entirely  winter-killed.  The 
relative  root  and  stem  growth  the  following  May  is  shown  in  the 
table:  (See  Fig.  33.) 

34 


Fig.  26.     Success  vs.  Failure. 

This  field  would  produce  in  average  years  75  bushels  of  corn  an  acre 
but  it  was  too  sour  to  grow  alfalfa,  until  lime  was  applied.  The  presence  of 
weeds  and  the  yellow  color  and  sickly  growth  of  the  alfalfa  on  the  unlimed 
corner  was  visible  for  a  distance  of  one-half  mile. 


Fig.  27.     Lime  is  conveniently  distributed  with  a  manure  spreader. 


35 


Fig.   28.    Fertilizer  Factories   on  Roots  of  Alfalfa. 

The  little  white  swellings  or  nodules  on  alfalfa  roots  are  sure  indications 
of  proper  inoculation.  They  are  the  homes  of  millions  of  alfalfa  bacteria 
which  gather  nitrogen  from  the  soil  air  and  convert  it  into  an  actual  growth 
producing  fertilizer  for  the  alfalfa  plants. 


36 


ALFALFA 

INOCULATED 


Fig.  29.     Inoculation  or  Starvation. 

Each  jar  contains  pure  quartz  sand  to  which  all  the  necessary  elements 
for  plant  growth,  except  nitrogen,  have  been  added.  The  alfalfa  bacteria 
supplied  by  inoculation  have  taken  sufficient  nitrogen  from  the  air  to  produce 
a  healthy  growth  of  alfalfa.  The  alfalfa  plants  in  the  sand  receiving  no  in- 
oculation have  starved  for  a  want  of  nitrogen.  Especially  on  sandy  and 
other  soils,  which  may  lack  nitrogen,  inoculation  is  very  important. 


37 


MANURE   &    LIME. 
NO  INOCULATION 


MANURE  t  LIME: 

INOCULATION 


Fig.  30.     Convincing  Evidence  of  the  Value  of  Inoculation. 

Manure  and  lime,   with  inoculation,   yielded  2500  Ibs.   alfalfa  an  acre. 
Manure  'and  lime,  with  no  inoculation,  yielded   1180  Ibs.  alfalfa  an  acre. 


Fig.  31.     Alfalfa  for  Hay.     Corn  for  the  Silo. 

Surely,  with  these,  our  banner  feed  producing  crops,  "prosperity 
follows     the     plow," 


38 


Fig.     32.     Alfalfa,     Grown    in    Wisconsin. 

Slogan  of  the  Alfalfa  Order. 


Fig.  33.     Effect  of  Late  Summer  Seeding  in  Wisconsin  on  Vigor    of  Growth 
Following  Spring.     (See  page  34.) 


39 


Fig.  34.     Haying  to  Beat  the  Weather. 

Cutting  forty  acres  of  alfalfa  a  day  on  the  Cornfalfa  Farms, 
Waukesha,  Wisconsin. 


ig-   35-     Curing   in   Windrows   Saves   Leaves. 

Alfalfa  hay  is  readily  raked  into  windrows  with  side  delivery  rakes. 


40 


Fig.  36.    Where  soil  conditions  are  made  right  alfalfa  produces  abundantly. 


Fig.  37.    Late  Fall  Cutting  and  Pasturing  Cause  Winterkilling  and  Blue  Grass 

Troubles. 

Photo  taken  in  May  1915.  The  left  part  of  this  field  which  is  so  badly 
winterkilled  and  overrun  with  blus  grass  was  cut  ths  previous  fall  (1914)  on 
October  12.  The  alfalfa  on  the  right  was  not  cut  after  August  30,  in  1914 
and  came  through  the  winter  uninjured.  In  the  northern  states  cutting  or 
pasturing  after  the  first  week  in  September  is  poor  practice. 


41 


Fig.   38.     Turkestan   Alfalfa   Makes   a    Scant   Fall   Growth. 

Perhaps   this   is   one    reason   for   its   hardiness. 


Fig.  39.     Transplanting  in  this  test  gave  very  poor  yields  of  hay  in  compari- 
son with  the  broadcasted  plots. 


42 


r.ATTT  QWT?nirr,  LENGTH  OF    ROOTS  LENGTH  OF  STEMS 

DATE  SEEDED  1914  MAY  12,  1915  MAY  12,    1915 

Inches  Inches 

August  4 20  20 

August  25   ! 13  17 

September    15 10  13 

September  25 8  8 

Alfalfa  Needs  a  Reasonably  Fertile  Soil 

Because  alfalfa  is  a  great  soil  enricher  and  can  be  grown  on  a  wide 
range  of  soils,  all  the  way  from  heavy  clays  to  sandy  loams,  it  is 
often  tried  out  on  the  poorest  and  most  worn-out  part  of  the  farm. 
If  the  soil  happens  to  be  well  supplied  with  limestone  the  crop  will 
do  fairly  well  on  rather  poor  land,  but  there  is  such  a  thing  as  a 


Fig.  40.     Best  to  Choose  a  Sloping  Field. 

Flat  lands  will  grow  alfalfa  but  smothering  ice  sheets  like  this  may 
cause  winterkilling. 

farm  being  too  poor  to  grow  alfalfa.  It  may  grow  red  clover  or 
sweet  clover,  but  when  the  land  becomes  so  deficient  in  organic 
matter  and  fertility  that  we  say  it  "won't  grow  beans"  it  will  not 
grow  alfalfa  without  heavy  applications  of  manure  or  fertilizer. 
On  the  other  hand,  newly  cleared  lands,  virgin  soil  and  grass  sods 
may  be  very  fertile  and  yet  fail  to  produce  good  stands  of  alfalfa. 
Such  soils  need  first  to  be  subdued  by  cropping  a  number  of  years 
with  such  cultivated  crops  as  corn  or  potatoes  in  rotation  with  grain 
and  clover  to  get  rid  of  the  bluegrass. 

A    Loose    Sub-Soil    Best 

The  subsoil  must  be  considered.  If  it  is  loose  and  open,  affording 
good  underdrainage,  and  is  full  of  gravelly  limestone,  nothing  could 
be  more  ideal.  If  it  is  a  tight,  impenetrable  hardpan  within  six  or 
eight  inches  of  the  surface— beware.  Shallower  rooted  crops,  like 
timothy,  redtop  or  alsike  clover,  will  do  better. 

Choose   a    Gentle    Slope 

A  gentle  slope  should  be  selected.  Flat  land  will  grow  alfalfa, 
but  winter-killing  will  be  more  serious.  Water  from  rain  or  melting 
snow  gathers  on  the  surface,  and  if  freezing  weather  follows  ice 
sheets  form  and  the  alfalfa  smothers  out.  Land  in  which  the  water 

43 


Fig.  41.     The  corrugated  roller  breaks  coarse  lumps,  firms  the  seed  bed 
and  leaves  the   surface   loose. 


44 


table  is  only  two  feet  below  the  surface  is  best  avoided.  The  old 
"alfalfa-won't-stand-wet-feet"  theory  holds  pretty  well.  Other  con- 
ditions being  favorable,  tile-drained  land  is  satisfactory,  but  oc- 
casionally trouble  is  reported  because  the  alfalfa  roots  clog  the  drains. 
Though  the  danger  is  slight  and  seldom  serious  it  is  well  worthy  of 
mention. 

A  Firm  Settled  Seed  Bed  Necessary 

Three  years  ago  I  observed  a  forty-acre  field  of  alfalfa  that  had 
been  seeded  the  year  previous  with  one  bushel  of  barley  to  the  acre 
as  a  nurse  crop.  The  land  was  heavily  limed  and  manured  and 
inoculated.  Climatic  conditions  were  very  favorable.  Yet  the  al- 
falfa was  a  miserable  failure.  Why?  A  loose  seed  bed. 

The  soil  was  plowed  just  one  week  before  the  seeding  of  the  al- 
falfa and  barley.  It  did  not  have  time  to  become  firm.  The  capil- 
lary movement  of  the  moisture  from  the  subsoil  was  retarded  and 
the  alfalfa  plants  did  not  thrive.  Even  the  barley  was  a  poor  crop. 
Fall  plowing  of  the  heavy  soils  has  its  many  advantages  for  all  crops, 
but  its  principal  benefit  for  alfalfa  is  that  it  gives  the  seed  bed  time 
to  settle  and  become  firm  enough  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the 
alfalfa  plant. 

The  forty-acre  field  mentioned  was  plowed  up  in  the  falljand  suc- 
cessfully reseeded  to  alfalfa  the  following  spring. 

Rolling  a  Very  Desirable  Practice 

Rolling  is  the  only  practice  that  will  firm  the  seed  bed  sufficiently 
when  the  seeding  of  alfalfa  immediately  follows  plowing.  The  roller 
is  best  used  right  after  the  seed  is  sown  and  should  be  followed  by  a 
light  harrowing  to  form  a  mulch.  Harrowing  is  not  necessary  when 
corrugated  rollers  are  used.  They  firm  the  soil  but  leave  at  the 
same  time  a  loose  surface. 

Loose  Sandy  Soils  Need  the  Roller 

Particularly  with  open  sandy  lands,  which  because  of  leaching 
and  blowing  must  often  be  spring  plowed  for  alfalfa,  is  rolling  es- 
sential. It  brings  on  a  rapid  and  uniform  germination  of  the  seed. 
During  dry  weather  it  keeps  the  surface  supplied  with  moisture, 
which  naturally  moves  up  from  below  when  the  soil  particles  are  in 
close  contact. 

A  well-settled  seed  bed,  with  a  mulched  surface  sufficient  to  cover 
the  seed  and  to  prevent  baking  and  crusting  and  the  rapid  evapor- 
ation of  soil  moisture,  is  ideal  not  only  for  alfalfa  but  also  for  all 
our  grain  crops  with  which  alfalfa  is  so  often  seeded. 


45 


Getting  a  Good  Stand  of  Alfalfa 

The  Use  of  Nurse  Crops  and   Other  Methods   of   Establishing  a 

Good  Stand 


there  is  a  will  there  is  a  way,  but  there  are  so  many 
§°°d  ways  of  getting  alfalfa  started  that  it  is  hard  to  say  which 
is  the  best.  What  may  be  a  good  method  for  one  farm  would 
not  apply  entirely  to  another,  but  almost  any  method  will  succeed 
when  there  is  the  determination  to  grow  alfalfa  and  the  willingness 
to  follow  details. 

The  great  importance  of  lime,  inoculation  and  a  fiim  seed  bed  has 
been  previously  discussed.  It  remains  now  to  consider  the  most 
economical  plans  for  establishing  a  good  stand  of  alfalfa.  In  the 
West  the  proposition  seems  to  be  pretty  well  solved.  Sow  from 
three  to  fifteen  pounds  of  seed  on  a  firm  but  well-prepared  seed  bed, 
with  or  without  a  nurse  crop  in  the  spring  or  summer,  and  a  thick 
growth  is  generally  obtained,  unless  the  drought  is  too  severe  or  the 
insect  pests  are  too  abundant. 

For  the  Central  and  Eastern  states  the  establishment  of  a  field 
of  alfalfa  is  somewhat  more  of  a  problem.  At  least  there  is  a  "new- 
ness" about  it  that  has  not  yet  wcrn  off,  and  every  now  and  then 
somebody  advocates  a  brand-new,  "never-known-before"  method 
of  starting  alfalfa. 

Grain  Instead  of  Weeds  for  a  Nurse  Crop 

The  most  universally  followed  way  of  growing  alfalfa  on  heavier 
soils  of  the  humid  regions  is  to  seed  with  grain  in  the  early  spring 
the  year  following  a  cultivated  crop,  such  as  corn  or  potatoes.  The 
term  "nurse"  crop  is  very  deceiving.  From  it  we  infer  that  the  al- 
falfa is  protected  and  nursed  along  by  the  grain  crop.  The  fact  is 
that  a  nurse  crop  robs  the  tender  alfalfa  plants  of  moisture,  plant 
food  and  sunlight,  and  checks  their  development,  very  severely 
on  sandy  soils. 

But  suppose  we  plant  the  alfalfa  alone  in  the  early  spring — what 
will  happen?  Weeds,  and  lots  of  them,  come  forth  They  will  be 
far  more  detrimental  than  a  grain  crop,  and  far  less  profitable.  The 
great  advantage  of  the  nurse  crop  on  the  heavier  types  of  soil  is 
that  it  controls  the  common  weeds  of  the  farm  and  produces  a 
profitable  crop  of  grain  while  the  alfalfa  is  becoming  established. 
And  it  is  a  decidedly  convenient,  economical  and  a  reasonably  cer- 
tain method  of  seeding  any  hay  crop  on  fertile  clay  or  loam  soil. 

In  the  spring  the  grain  and  alfalfa  are  sown  at  the  same  time  with 
one  operation,  using  a  grain  drill  or  seeder  having  a  grass-seed  attach- 
ment. Winter  wheat  and  winter  rye  are  generally  seeded  so  late 
in  the  fall  that  if  the  alfalfa  is  sown  at  the  same  time  it  will  invari- 
ably winterkill. 

46 


Spring  Sowing  on  Fall  Seeded  Grains 

To  avoid  this  danger  the  alfalfa  should  be  sown  separately  on 
these  fall-seeded  grains  with  a  wheelbarrow  seeder  or  other  suitable 
machine  early  the  next  spring  before  the  frost  is  out  of  the  ground, 
and  preferably  on  top  of  the  last  fsnow.  When  a  loam  or  clay  soil 
thaws  out  it  becomes  honeycombed  with  cracks  and  small  crevices, 
which  later  close  up  and  cover  the  seed. 

This  is  Nature's  way,  and  it  is  far  more  effective  on  heavy  clay  or 
loam  soils  than  harrowing  or  any  other  mechanical  means  of  covering 
seeds  sown  after  the  soil  has  thawed.  Alfalfa,  like  clover  seed,  is 
not  injured  by  being  seeded  on  snow  or  frozen  ground,  and  germi- 
nation is  immediate  with  the  on-come  of  warm  weather.  Light, 
sandy  soils  should  be  seeded  after  thawing  and  a  vigorous  harrowing 
of  the  fall  sown  rye  or  wheat  is  necessary  to  cover  the  alfalfa  seeds. 

Sow  Nurse  Crop  Thin 

There  are  good  and  bad  nurse  crops.  The  poorest  are  those  which 
ripen  latest  and  remain  growing  on  the  field  longest.  But  every 
nurse  crop  is  bad  fcr  alfalfa  when  sown  too  thickly  Three  bushels 
of  train  to  the  acre  will  spell  failure  for  an  alfalfa  seeding,  when  one 


Fig.  42.     A  Thin  Nurse  Crop  for  Thick  Alfalfa. 

Good  stand  seeded  with  one  Poor,  stand  seeded  with  three 

.    bu.  barley  an  acre.  bu.  of  oats  an  acre. 

bushel  wculd  have  insured  success.  The  newly  sprouted  alfalfa 
must  have  a  fair  chance  for  growth.  One  bushel  of  grain  to  the 
acre  is  just  enough  to  produce  a  fairly  good  grain  yield;  at  the  same 
time  it  does  not  crowd  the  alfalfa  plants,  but  gives  them  an  oppor- 
tunity to  get  their  roots  well  established  for  protection  against 
drought,  which  may  follow  the  grain  harvest. 

Good  and  Bad  Nurse  Crops 

Barley  is  one  of  the  best  of  nurse  crops.  It  ripens  early.  Winter 
rye  and  winter  wheat  are  also  good.  These  grains  mature  from  one 
to  three  weeks  earlier  than  oats  and  spring  wheat  and  they  are  much 
better  for  seeding  with  alfalfa.  Because  of  late  ripening  it  is  best, 
but  not  always  necessary,  that  oats  be  cut  for  hay  just  after  heading 
out,  unless  early  strains,  such  as  the  Kherson  and  Sixty  Day,  are 
used. 

The  principal  objection  to  all  nurse  crops  is  that  they  dry  out  the 
soil — especially,  the  late-ripening  kinds — and  check  the  develop- 


47 


ment  of  the  tender  young  alfalfa  plant  so  that  an  extended  drought 
following  the  grain  harvest  may  ruin  the  stand.  This  is  a  difficulty 
far  more  serious  with  sandy  or  light  soils  because  they  are  so  readily 
affected  by  drought.  This  danger  is  sufficient  to  make  the  nurse- 
crop  way  of  starting  alfalfa  a  failure  with  sandy  soil  but  not  gener- 
ally with  the  heavier  clays  and  loams.  We  shall  see,  however,  that 
it  can  be  avioded. 

Seeding  Alfalfa  Alone 

The  surest  but  most  expensive  way  to  seed  alfalfa,  especially  on 
sandy  ground,  is  to  put  the  soil  through  a  careful  weed-killing  pro- 
cess of  disking  and  harrowing  at  frequent  intervals,  and  seeding  in 
May  or  early  June.  If  the  soil  is  extremely  weedy  the  cultivation 


Fig.   43.     Seeding  Alfalfa  with   Barley. 

Flat  rollers  should  be  followed  with  a  harrow.     Otherwise  the  smooth 
surface  may  bake,  crust  and  harden. 

should  be  continued  well  on  into  the  summer;  otherwise  June  seed- 
ing is  most  satisfactory,  for  heavy  soils  and  May  or  June  for  light 
soils,  and  one  or  two  cuttings  of  hay  may  be  obtained  prior  to  Sep- 
tember first.  This  will  in  a  measure  make  up  for  the  profits  of  a 
grain  crop. 

Though  excessive  cultivation  kills  weeds,  stores  up  moisture  and 
firms  the  seed  bed,  it  would  not  be  necessary  if  the  soil  were  weed- 
free,  or  nearly  so.  Clean  clay  or  loam  fields  growing  such  well-cul- 
tivated crops  as  tobacco,  sugar  beets  and  potatoes  can  often  be  fall 
plowed,  disked,  harrowed  and  inoculated,  and  the  alfalfa  seeded  a- 
lone  on  frozen  ground  the  following  spring.  Two  fair  crops  of  hay, 
rarely  three,  may  be  cut  in  the  summer,  although  the  first  is  apt  to 
be  very  weedy. 

Jack  Frost  Methods 

But  very  seldom  do  we  find  soils  that  are  free  enough  of  weeds 
and  weed  seeds  to  warrant  this  "Jack  Frost"  way  of  seeding  alfalfa 
alone.  I  have  seen  it  tried,  and  instead  of  cutting  nice  crops  of  al- 
falfa the  first  year  the  harvest  was  mostly  weeds.  A  grain  crop 
would  not  have  crowded  the  alfalfa  any  more  than  the  weeds  did 
and  surely  would  have  been  more  profitable.  It  is  best  for  the  be- 

48 


ginner  in  alfalfa  growing  to  use  a  standard  method  that  has  passed 
the  experimental  stage,  and  let  the  more  experienced  growers  try 
their  luck  with  Jack  Frost. 

Seeding    Alone — Best    for    Sandy    Soils 

Though  the  weed-killing  process  is  expensive,  seeding  alone  in 
May  or  June,  is  a  method  of  growing  alfalfa  that  practically  insures 
success,  because  it  eliminates  the  drought  danger  that  obtains  with 
the  nurse  crop  and  the  weed  danger  of  seeding  alone  in  the  early 
spring.  It  is  particularly  a  method  to  be  recommended  to  the  be- 
ginner, who  would  best  start  out  in  a  small  way  with  three  to  five 
acres.  It  gives  him  time  to  lime  if  necessary,  to  inoculate,  and  it 
makes  the  most  ideal  seed  bed  for  alfalfa.  One  or  two  crops  of 
hay  may  be  cut  prior  to  September  first  if  abundant  summer  rains 
occur.  It  is  the  surest  method  on  sandy  soils. 

Look  Out  for  Soil  Washing 

Its  greatest  drawbacks  are  extra  labor  and  expense  and  possible 
loss  of  the  use  and  profit  from  the  land  the  first  year.  It  can  be 
used  only  with  fields  that  are  not  too  sloping,  otherwise  serious  wash- 
ing and  gullying  will  occur.  Hilly  lands  should  always  be  seeded 
down  with  a  nurse  crop.  After  the  farm  has  grown  alfalfa  for  a 
number  of  years,  and  the  fields  are  plowed  up  for  corn,  they  can 
then  be  reseeded  to  alfalfa  with  gra;n  in  a  less  expensive  manner. 

Seeding  After  Harvest  of  Canning  Peas,  Early  Potatoes,  etc. 

There  are  other  ways  of  seeding  alfalfa  alone.  Such  crops  as  early 
potatoes,  canning  peas,  oats  and  peas  for  hay,  are  harvested  early 
in  the  summer.  Rains  generally  occur  after  the  harvest  and  by 
immediate  seeding  good  stands  of  alfalfa  are  obtained.  The  weed 
growth  at  this  time  of  the  year  will  seldom  prove  to  be  detrimental. 
The  seed  bed  should  be  prepared  with  the  disk  and  harrow — not 
with  the  plow.  Plowing  would  leave  the  seed  bed  too  loose  for 
immediate  seeding  unless  heavy  rolling  was  practiced.  Disking  is 
decidedly  satisfactory  and  is  more  economical. 

Seeding  After  Grain  Harvest  Doubtful 

This  same  practice  is  seldom  successful  with  the  grain  crops,  which 
are  harvested  much  later.  They  dry  out  the  soil  and  quite  gen- 
erally drought  follows  their  harvest,  which  makes  the  preparation 
of  the  seed  bed  almost  impossible  either  with  a  disk  or  plow.  With 
late-fall  growing  weather,  seeding  after  a  grain  crop  may  prove  suc- 
cessful, but  here  again  eight  inches  of  growth  prior  to  freezing  weather 
is  necessary  to  insure  winter  protection  of  the  alfalfa. 

Seeding  in  Corn  at  Last  Cultivation 

Some  successes  and  many  failures  have  been  reported  in  seeding 
alfalfa  in  corn  just  before  the  last  cultivation.  The  writer  has  tried 
this  out  from  time  to  time  with  little  success.  Occasionally  it  works, 
and  those  occasions  occur  when  the  rainfall  during  the  summer  is 
abundant.  Some  difficulty  will  obtain  in  getting  the  seed  distri- 
buted uniformly  unless  a  special  inter-row  seeder  is  used.  An  ex- 
perienced sower  can  spread  the  seed  by  hand  uniformly  and  if  care 
is  used  the  whirling  seeders  are  satisfactory. 

49 


If  the  soil  has  not  previously  grown  alfalfa  it  should  be  inoculated 

at  corn-planting  time,  or  the  seed  may  be  treated  with  a  good  bac- 

e  before  seeding.     The  corn  is  cut  for  silage  or  fodder, 

and  unless  the  stubbles  are  harrowed  down  the  following  spring  they 

will  cause  considerable  trouble  with  the  first  cutting. 

Quack  Grass — Fiercest  of  all  Farm  Weeds 

Weeds  are  always  with  us  and  they  profoundly  affect  all  our 
methods  of  crop  production.  Canada  thistles  are  no  match  for  an 
established  field  of  alfalfa  when  the  two  plants  come  into  a  hand-to- 
hand  combat  for  possession  of  the  soil.  But  not  so  with  the  fiercest 
of  all  farm  weeds — quack  grass. 

This  dreaded  enemy  will  get  the  best  of  alfalfa  unless  badly  in- 
fested soils  are  freed  of  its  aggressive  growth  by  cultivated  crops  or 
summer  fallow  before  the  alfalfa  is  seeded.  Even  then  a  few  spots 
of  quack  may  appear  throughout  the  field,  and  no  matter  how  thick 
the  alfalfa  may  be  these  spots  will  survive  in  spite  of  its  rapid  growth 
and  frequent  cuttings.  Though  we  can  grow  good  crops  of  alfalfa 
hay,  even  though  the  field  may  contain  a  few  patches  of  quack  grass, 
we  can  never  hope  to  eradicate  this  weed  with  alfalfa  as  we  can  get 
rid  of  Canada  thistles. 

Helpless  as  a  New-Born  Babe 

With  all  due  credit  to  alfalfa  as  a  weed  fighter,  it  must  be  stated 
that  during  its  first  six  months  of  growth  it  is  quite  as  helpless  as  a 
new-born  babe  to  control  those  too  numerous  common  weeds  of  the 
farm,  such  as  foxtail,  pigweed,  lamb's-quarters,  and  so  on.  While 
they  menace  alfalfa  in  its  early  stages  they  seldom  cause  sufficient 
injury  to  the  stand  to  require  any  attention  in  the  way  of  control 
except  for  those  weed-killing  cultural  practices  which  are  applied  to 
the  soil  before  the  alfalfa  is  seeded. 

Weeds  May  be  a  Protection 

Last  August  I  visited  a  number  of  newly  seeded  alfalfa  fields  in  a 
central  state.  Some  of  them  had  been  sown  with  a  nurse  crop  last 
spring;  others  had  been  sown  alone  in  June.  They  were  all  very 
weedy. 

"Where  in  the  world  do  all  those  weeds  come  from?  My  land  is 
usually  not  weedy  and  I  use  good,  clean  seed.  What  shall  we  do 
about  them?"  These  were  universal  questions  wherever  I  went. 

"Let  them  alone,"  I  replied.  "They  are  short  and  nearly  ripe 
now  and  will  soon  stop  growing.  This  winter  the  dead  stalks  will 
hold  the  snow  and  prevent  winter  injury  from  alternate  freezing 
and  thawing.  The  dry  weather^has  been  favorable  to  their  growth. 
They  do  some  damage,  but  cutting  them  close  to  the  surface  would 
hurt  the  alfalfa  still  more. 

Clipping  First  Year  to  be  Avoided 

"It's  only  when  weeds  get  up  about  two  feet  high,  and  are 
so  thick  that  the  alfalfa  is  in  danger  of  actually  being  crowded  out, 
that  clipping  should  be  practiced.  Then  get  out  your  mower  and 
whack  them  off,  setting  the  cutting  bar  at  least 'six  inches  above  the 
ground,  so  as  to  cut  as  little  of  the  alfalfa  and  as  much  of  the  weeds 
as  possible.  Haul  off  the  clippings  before  they  smother  the  plants 

50 


beneath.  Attend  to  this  in  August.  Late  fall  clipping  or  cutting 
or  pasturing  is  very  dangerous  to  a  new  stand  of  alfalfa.  It  brings 
on  winterkilling,  because  the  alfalfa  may  not  recover  rapidly  enough 
to  make  the  necessary  eight  inches  of  growth  before  winter  sets  in. 

Manuring  New  Seedings  Dangerous 

Ten  tons  of  rotted  manure  applied  as  a  topdressing  to  a  plowed 
field  and  disked  in  will  do  much  to  insure  a  good  stand  of  alfalfa. 
Ten  tons  of  manure,  especially  if  strawy,  applied  on  new  alfalfa 
seeding  the  first  fall  may  smother  out  the  plants  and  actually  ruin 
the  field.  The  idea  of  applying  manure  on  the  first  year's  growth 


Fig.  44.     Second  Crop.     Two  Tons  Per  Acre. 

Alfalfa  is  easy  to  grow  where  seeded  right  on  a  reasonably  fertile  soil, 
well  inoculated  and  abundant  in  lime. 

for  winter  protection  is  entirely  erroneous,  unless  a  very  light  appli- 
cation of  fine,  well-decomposed  manure  is  used.  After  alfalfa  has 
passed  its  first  year  it  is  not  nearly  so  sensitive,  and  light  applica- 
tions, preferably  in  the  fall,  of  from  six  to  eight  tons  of  well-rotted 
manure  will  increase  the  yields  greatly. 

Use  Good  Clean  Seed 

In  all  the  discussion  it  has  been  taken  for  granted  that  lime  and 
inoculation  have  been  provided  for.  No  method  will  succeed  un- 
less the  soil  conditions  are  right.  Clean  seed  of  good  germination 
should  be  used.  It  is  generally  broadcasted  and  harrowed  in.  Dril- 
ling in  alfalfa  seed  in  rows  four  to  six  inches  apart  is  very  satisfactory, 
especially  on  sandy  soils,  but  there  is  a  grave  danger  of  getting  the 
seed  too  deep  for  germination.  Half  an  inch  is  sufficient  depth  on 
heavy  land  and  it  should  not  be  drilled  in  more  than  two  inches  in 
the  light  sands  of  the  humid  states.  Under  semiarid  conditions, 
when  the  soil  is  very  loose  and  dry  on  the  surface,  alfalfa  is  sometimes 
seeded  three  inches  deep.  Like  corn  and  clover,  alfalfa  should  be 
sown  just  deep  enough  to  come  in  contact  with  sufficient  soil  mois- 
ture to  sprout  the  seed  and  to  get  the  young  plants  well  established 
in  the  soil — no  deeper. 


51 


A  Permanent  Stand  of  Alfalfa 

Winter-killing  and  its  Remedies 

X'M  PRETTY  well  soured  on  this  alfalfa  business.  That  fine 
ten-acre  field  west  of  the  barn  which  I  seeded  two  years  ago 
is  as  dead  as  a  doornail  this  spring.  My  neighbor's  field  across 
the  road  is  in  the  same  boat.  Why,  I  got  fifty  loads  off  that  patch 
last  summer  and  I  booked  it  for  another  fifty  this  year. 

"You  wouldn't  think  a  crop  with  such  powerful  roots  would  winter- 
kill. But  the  blamed  stuff  certainly  does.  You  can  go  into  my 
field  and  pull  up  dead  alfalfa  plants  by  the  thousands.  It  is  easy 
enough  for  some  of  these  fellows  to  tell  us  how  to  grow  alfalfa,  but 
how  are  we  going  to  keep  it  after  we  once  get  it  growing? — that's 
what  I  would  like  to  know." 

This  is  not  a  one-man  outburst.  It  represents  the  sentiments 
prevalent  among  5000  or  more  alfalfa  growers  in  Northern  Illinois, 
Ohio,  Indiana  and  Wisconsin  last  spring  (1916).  Never  in  years  had 
there  been  such  wholesale  winterkilling  of  good  stands  of  alfalfa  and 
clover  and  even  of  fall  wheat  and  rye. 

Winterkilling    Disappoints 

Yes,  alfalfa,  like  clover,  winterkills;  but  it  is  not  necessarily  the 
cold  winters  with  extremely  low  temperatures  that  do  the  damage. 
It's  the  open  winters,  with  little  or  no  snow  for  protection  against 
heaving  and  injury  from  alternate  freezing  and  thawing,  that  cause 
havoc  in  our  best  fields  of  clover  and  alfalfa. 

Flat  lands  are  affected  worst  of  all.  Here  the  water  from  melting 
snow  or  spring  rains  accumulates  and  with  cold  weather  smothering 
ice  sheets  put  an  end  to  the  alfalfa  beneath.  What  are  we  going  to 
do  about  it?  Shall  we  look  at  it  as  beyond  prevention,  as  we  would 
a  hailstorm  or  a  drought  in  the  summer,  or  can  winterkilling  of  al- 
falfa be  controlled?  We  shall  see.  (See  Fig.  40.) 

First  of  all,  winterkilling  is  only  a  problem  in  those  more  Northern 
States  where  the  winters  are  quite  severe.  Let  me  say  at  the  out- 
set that  I  have  no  patience  with  the  chronic  kicker  in  those  sections 
who  complains  about  the  loss  of  his  alfalfa  when  he  has  cut  or  pas- 
tured it  late  in  the  fall  or  at  any  time  after  the  first  part  of  September. 

Resist   that   Temptation 

"Oh,  that  doesn't  hurt  it.  I  cut  mine  in  October  two  years  ago 
and  it  came  through  the  winter  in  fine  shape.  Why,  my  neighbor 
fall-pastured  his  right  down  to  the  ground  and  you  never  saw  a  better 
field  the  next  year."  I  have  heard  this  argument  time  and  again. 

"But  how  about  it  this  spring?"      I  inquire. 

"Oh,  it's  just  like  mine.      It's  dead!" 

Don't  Kill   the  Goose 

We  forget  that  some  winters  may  be  so  favorable  that  the  alfalfa 
is  not  seriously  injured  in  spite  of  late  cutting  or  late  pasturing. 

52 


I  know  it  is  a  great  temptation  to  cut  a  fourth  crop  or  to  pasture  it 
off  late  in  the  fall.  Sometimes  we  are  short  of  feed  and  we  just  have 
to  take  the  hazard.  But  in  doing  so  we  are  apt  to  kill  the  goose 
that  lays  the  golden  eggs. 

Late    Cutting    Reduces    Vigor 

The  field  may  be  only  partially  ruined  by  winter's  freezing,  but 
the  late  cutting  so  weakens  the  remaining  plants  that  their  growth 
the  following  spring  will  be  less  vigorous,  and  the  blue-grass  and 
weeds  may  soon  get  the  best  of  the  alfalfa.  (See  Fig.  37.) 


Fig.  45.     Eight  inches  of  fall  growth  holds  the  snow  for  whiter  protection. 

The  old  standard  eight-inch  rule — that  alfalfa  should  have  eight 
inches  of  growth  before  freezing  weather  sets  in — will  solve  the 
winterkilling  problem  on  many  farms.  Alfalfa  needs  this  much 
stubble  to  hold  the  snow  for  winter  protection. 

May  Kill  in  Spite  Care  Taken 

But  it  still  remains  that  even  where  every  regulation  of  growing 
and  handling  alfalfa  has  been  followed  out,  it  may  winterkill.  Where 
this  occurs  there  is  only  one  solution  of  the  difficulty:  Use  seeds  of 
the  hardiest-known  varieties. 

There  is  all  the  difference  in  the  world  between  various  kinds  of 
alfalfa.  Some,  like  the  Peruvian  of  the  Southwest,  cannot  stand 
the  slightest  Northern  frost.  Others  will  weather  through  the  hardest 
winters  and  be  ready  for  business  the  following  spring.  (See  Fig.  50,) 

I  will  not  say  that  any  alfalfa  is  absolutely  winter-proof,  but  there 
are  varieties  that  have  a  double-barreled,  cast-iron  hardiness  which 
makes  them  nearly  so,  and  far  superior  to  the  common  kinds  in  with- 
standing the  rigors  of  severe  open  winter  weather.  (See  Fig.  51.) 

Common   American   Alfalfa 

There  are  few  commercial  varieties  of  alfalfa  grown  here  in  the 
United  States.  The  common  purple-flowered  alfalfa  is  the  great 

53 


American  variety.  The  original  stock  was  brought  from  Spain  to 
Chile  and  from  there  it  was  introduced  into  California  during  the 
gold-rush  days,  about  1854.  Since  then  it  has  spread  all  through 
the  West  and  today  it  is  the  great  commercial  alfalfa  of  the  United 
States. 

It  is  an  excellent  variety — a  good  producer — fairly  hardy,  with  a 
desirable  erect  and  upright  growing  habit. 

On  the  market  the  seed  is  offered  as  "Montana  grown,"  "Kansas 
grown,"  "Dakota  grown,"  and  so  on,  depending  upon  the  state 
in  which  it  was  produced.  There  is  a  preference  for  common  alfalfa 
seed  from  the  Northern  States,  and  in  years  of  a  big  crop  the  North- 
ern-grown alfalfa  seed  sells  for  two  to  four  dollars  more  a  bushel 
than  seed  produced  in  Kansas  and  Nebraska,  because  it  is  claimed 
to  be  hardier. 

Kansas  as  Good  as  Montana  Seed 

I  have  tried  out  alfalfa  seed  from  all  these  states,  and  in  numerous 
co-operative  tests  throughout  Wisconsin  I  have  found  alfalfa  from 
Kansas  and  Nebraska  seed  as  hardy  and  productive  in  every  re- 
spect as  that  from  the  common  seed  produced  in  the  Dakotas  or 
Montana. 

As  stated  before,  winterkilling  is  not  due  to  extremely  low  tem- 
peratures so  much  as  it  is  to  alternate  freezing  and  thawing  with 
little  or  no  snow  covering  for  protection  of  the  alfalfa.  Surely  al- 
falfa in  Kansas  and  Nebraska  is  put  to  the  test  of  just  such  injurious 
winter  weather.  *  t-H 

Though  I  have  not  tried  alfalfa  seed  from  every  seed-producing 
county  of  the  states  mentioned,  the  matter  of  the  locality  in  which 
the  seed  was  produced  seems  to  be  of  far  less  importance  than  has 
been  previously  supposed.  The  fact  is  that  all  common  alfalfa  is 
liable  to  serious  winterkilling,  whether  it  be  from  Kansas  or  Mon- 
tana'grown  seed,  especially  in  those  years  when  snow  does  not  pro- 
tect it. 

When   Common  Alfalfa   Winterkills 

In  June,  1914,  I  seeded  sixteen  separate  plots  with  various  strains 
of  alfalfa  seed  coming  from  Kansas,  Nebraska,  Montana  and  the 
Dakotas.  Excellent  stands  were  obtained  in  1915.  But  the  winter 
of  1915-16  took  its  toll.  Only  four  of  those  plots  came  through  in 
excellent  shape. 

Fifty-five  per  cent  of  the  plants  in  the  several  Dakota  and  Mon- 
tana plots  were  killed.  Last  summer  (1916)  those  plots  yielded  in 
two  cuttings  only  3842  pounds  an  acre  of  cured  alfalfa  hay.  The  two 
Kansas  and  Nebraska  plots  winterkilled  fifty-two  per  cent,  but 
yielded  4470  pounds  of  cured  hay  an  acre  in  two  cuttings. 

The  four  banner  plots  were  seeded  with  seed  of  the  variegated 
varieties  of  alfalfa — two  with  Grimm  and  two  with  Baltic.  The 
average  winterkilling  for  these  four  plots  was  only  twenty-seven  per 
cent  and  the  remaining  plants  spread  out  so  rapidly  and  so  early  in 
the  spring  that  this  injury  was  not  even  perceptible.  These  four 
plots  averaged  6045  pounds  of  cured  hay  an  acre  in  two  cuttings — 
a  ton  more  than  the  common  kinds  that  had  been  seeded  under 
identically  the  same  conditions.  (See  Pig.  48.) 

54 


Winter  Resistant  Alfalfas 

There  is  no  doubt  about  it — the  best  alfalfas  for  those  sections 
where  winterkilling  is  a  problem  are  the  variegated  strains.  They 
are  the  hardiest  longest-lived  and  best  all-round  producing  alfalfas 
yet  discovered  for  the  snow-bound  states. 

There  are  three  principal  varieties  or  strains  grown  here  in  the 
United  States — Grimm,  Baltic  and  Cossack.  The  Grimm  is  by  far 
the  most  widely  grown  of  the^three  and  its  seed  can  generally  be 
purchased  at  the  lowest  Vost.  rj 


Fig.  46.     Cultivated  rows  of  Grimm  alfalfa  grown  in  Nebraska  for  seed. 

These  are  called  variegated  alfalfas  because,  instead  of  having  all 
their  blossoms  purple,  a  considerable  percentage  of  them  have  a 
variety  of  colors  ranging  all  the  way  from  white,  light  yellow  and 
green  to  smoky  hues  of  purple,  brown  and  blue.  They  are  hybrid 
alfalfas  and  have  resulted  from  a  natural  cross  between  the  common 
purple-flowered  variety  and  the  hardy  but ,  poor-producing  yellow- 
flowered  alfalfa  which  the  scientists  call  Medicago  falcata.  Be- 
cause of  its  rather  poor  yields  and  low  spreading  habit,  yellow- 
flowered  alfalfa  is  not  and  will  probably  never  be  of  any  commercial 
importance  in  the  East  or  Middle  West. 

Grimm,  Baltic  and  Cossack — All   Good 

The  three  variegated  varieties,  Grimm,  Baltic  and  Cossack,  are 
all  good,  and  there  is  no  data  to  show  that  for  the  humid  areas  one 
is  better  than  another.  For  success  they  mustlbe  seeded  with  the 

same  care  and  cultivated  in  the  same  way  as  the  common  strains. 

< 

Where  Grimm  Alfalfa  Started 

According  to  the  records,  Grimm  alfalfa  was  introduced  into 
Carver  County,  Minnesota,  in  1857,  by  Wendelin  Grimm,  an  im- 
migrant from  Baden,  Germany.  He  brought  with  him  fifteen  or 
twenty  pounds  of  alfalfa  seed,  and  sowed  it  in  the  spring  of  1858. 
Just  how  well  this  first  seeding  of  the  "ewiger  Klee" — everlasting 
clover — as  he  called  it,  succeeded  is  not  definitely  known,  but  at 

55 


least  enough  of  the  plants  survived  to  furnish  seed  for  future  sow- 
ings, and  in  1867,  480  pounds  were  threshed  from  three  acres  and 
sold  in  Minneapolis. 

In  after  years  it  seems  that  Mr.  Grimm's  neighbors  attempted  to 
grow  alfalfa  with  common  seed  produced  in  other  states,  but  in 
nearly  every  case  the  stands  winterkilled,  while  the  fields  of  Grimm 
were  not  injured.  The  attention  of  the  Minnesota  station  was 


Fig.  47.     Threshing  Grimm  alfalfa  seed  in  Montana. 

called  to  this  alfalfa  in  1901,  and  by  careful  experimentation  Grimm 
alfalfa  was  found  to  be  far  superior  to  common  kinds  to  withstand 
unfavorable  winters.  Since  then  its  growth  has  been  widely  ex- 
tended in  the  alfalfa-seed-producing  states  of  the  West,  but  even 
now  the  Grimm  seed  is  high  priced  and  it  is  rather  hard  to  get  the 
genuine  article. 

Origin    of  Baltic    and    Cossack 

The  Baltic  alfalfa  originated  near  the  little  town  of  Baltic,  South 
Dakota,  and  is  very  similar  to  the  Grimm. 

The  much-advertised  Cossack  alfalfa  was  procured  in  1 907  by  the 
United  States  Department  of  Agriculture  from  Russia.  It  has  a 
more  widely  variegated  flower  than  Grimm,  but  there  is  no  evidence 
that  it  is  superior  in  yields  or  hardiness  in  the  humid  states  to  Grimm 
or  Baltic. 


56 


Alfalfas  That  Do  and  Don't  Winterkill 

Why  Variegated  Alfalfas  are  Hardy 


makes  variegated  alfalfa  hardier  than    common  alfalfa? 
Is  it  the  widely  spreading  crown  or  the  more  widely  branched 
roots?     Or  is  hardiness,  just  an  inherited  characteristic  coming 
from  the  rugged  paternal  yellow-flowered  variety? 

Probably  all  three  have  something  to  do  with  it.  Variegated 
alfalfa  has  both  branched  and  straight  tap  rooted  plants.  But  the 
percentage  of  branched-rooted  plants  is  considerably  higher  than  in 
the  common  alfalfa.  This  may  make  it  more  resistant  to  the  heav- 
ing effect  of  freezing  and  thawing  weather. 

The  crown  of  the  variegated  alfalfa  is  large,  decidedly  low-set, 
widely  branched  and  spreading.  It  may  be  partly  or  completely 
submerged  in  the  soil.  Common  alfalfa,  on  the  other  hand,  has  a 
smaller,  erect  crown,  generally  high-set  above  the  ground,  and  more 
exposed  to  the  injury  of  alternate  freezing  and  thawing. 

Fall   Dormancy 

A  most  interesting  characteristic  of  variegated  alfalfa  is  that  it 
prepares  itself  for  the  siege  of  winter.  After  the  third  cutting  its 
development  is  rather  sluggish.  It  may  grow  six  or  eight  inches  by 
the  middle  of  October,  when  common  alfalfa  will  be  a  foot  or  more 
in  height.  It  then  begins  to  turn  brown,  becomes  dormant  and 
stops  growing,  regardless  of  abundant  rains  and  mild  fall  weather. 
It  goes  to  bed  early. 

Alfalfa  that  Hibernates 

It  hardens  itself  for  the  severity  of  the  oncoming  cold.  It  is  like 
a  burrowing  animal.  It  begins  to  hibernate  early  in  the  fall,  and 
gets  itself  in  that  protective  dormant  condition  in  which  it  can  stand 
freezing  without  being  frozen  to  death. 

The  common  alfalfa  keeps  right  on  producing  a  succulent  growth 
until  a  sudden  freeze  puts  an  abrupt  end  to  its  fall  activity.  This 
sudden  change,  I  believe,  is  one  of  the  reasons  for  the  greater  sen- 
sitiveness of  common  alfalfa  to  winter  injury.  (See  Fig.  38.) 

An  Early-to-bed  and  Early-to-rise  Alfalfa 

The  variegated  strains  are  the  early-to-bed-and-early-to-rise  al- 
falfas. They  are  the  first  to  slumber  in  the  fall  and  the  first  to 
hearken  to  the  awakening  call  of  spring's  gentle  breezes.  I  have 
seen  many  instances  where  the  variegated  has  made  from  four  to 
six  inches  of  growth  in  the  early  spring  while  adjacent  plots  of  the 
common  were  just  getting  well  started.  (See  Figs.  48  and  51.) 

I  do  not  wish  to  give  the  impression  that  variegated  alfalfas  are 
better  yielders  than  the  common  strains,  for  that  is  only  partly  true. 
Common  alfalfa  is  a  most  excellent  producer,  provided  it  has  not 

57 


been  injured  by  winterkilling.  When  variegated  alfalfa  yields  more 
than  the  common  it  is  due  mainly  to  its  ability  to  withstand  winter 
injury. 

High  Priced  Seed 

The  greatest  drawbacks  to  the  general  growth  of  variegated  al- 
falfa are  the  high  cost  of  the  seed  and  the  difficulty  of  getting  the 
genuine  article.  There  is  no  way  of  distinguishing  the  seed  of  Grimm, 
Baltic  or  Cossack  from  the  common  seed  of  the  market. 

I  am  informed  that  so-called  Grimm  seed  has  been  (1916) 
retailed  at  twenty  cents  a  pound.  Is  it  the  real  Grimm?  I 
don't  know.  F  rom  correspondence  with  about  thirty  Western  grow- 
ers of  strains  cf  variegated  alfalfa  seed  their  quotations  will  average 


Fig.  48.     Grimm  and  Baltic  First  in  Spring  Growth. 

The  dark  plots  (9)  and  (u)  are  the  variegated  varieties,  Grimm  and 
Baltic — two  years  old.  They  have  not  winterkilled  and  have  made  a  growth 
of  five  inches  while  the  adjacent  common  strains  (8),  (10)  and  (12)  of  the 
same  age  have  hardly  begun  to  grow. 

Photo  taken  April  1916. 

more  than  double  this  figure.  It  is  hard  for  an  honest  seedsman  to 
compete  with  the  fellow  who  will  buy  common  seed  and  sell  it  as 
variegated,  or  who  will  adulterate  his  variegated  with  cheaper  seed. 

Genuine    Seed 

Fortunately  the  growers  of  Grimm,  Baltic  and  Cossack  alfalfa 
seed  are  organizing  and  offering  the  public  certified  seed  in  sealed 
sacks.  Success  to  them!  Many  of  the  adverse  reports  we  hear 
regarding  Grimm  alfalfa  may  be  due  to  use  of  seed  that  was  not 
genuine. 

For  seed  production  variegated  strains  are  especially  profitable. 
They  bring  a  handsome  figure,  and  the  demand  will  increase  rapidly 
as  the  price  is  reduced  to  a  commercial  basis.  The  farmers  of  the 
humid  states,  where  there  has  been  trouble  from  winterkilling  and 
where  alfajfa-seed  growing  is  not  a  success,  are  willing  to  pay  extra 

58 


Fig.  49.     Cold  Resistant  Roots  of  Grimm  Alfalfa. 

Grimm  alfalfa,  like  all  truly  variegated  varieties,  has  a  more  distinctly 
branched  root  system  and  a  more  widely  spreading^crown  than  the  common 
strains. 


59 


Fig.  50.     Survival  of  the  Hardiest. 

The  Grimm  stood  the  test.  Common  Montana  alfalfa  (to  right) 
winterkilled  78  per  cent.  Plots  seeded  at  same  time  and  in  same  way, 
yjune  1914,  and  gave  excellent  yields  in  1915.  But  the  second  winter  ruined 
the  common  Montana  strain  while  the  Grimm  variety  only  six  feet  away 
came  through  the  very  severe  winter  of  1915-16  without  apparent  injury 
and  yielded  double  the  amount*  of  weed  free  hay.  Photo  taken  June  1916. 


Fig.  51.     Following  Hard  Winters  Grimm  Makes  Rapid  Growth. 
Plots  sown,  June  1914.  Photo  taken  April  1916. 

Note  vigorous  early  spring  growth  of  Grimm  in  comparison  with  the  two 
common  strains  on  either  side  which  were  so  weakened  and  badly  winterkilled 
by  the  open  winter  of  1915-16  that  they  have  scarcely  begun  to  grow. 


60 


for  variegated  seed  when  they  are  assured  that  it  is  genuine;  but 
with  the  necessarily  heavy  rates  of  seeding  they  will  be  interested 
only  in  a  small  way  in  quotations  from  fifty  cents  to  one  dollar  a 
pound.  If  they  could  grow  their  own  seed  the  initial  seed^cost  would 
not  be  a  serious  matter.  :  £ 

Fortunately,  with  the  rapid  extension  of  the  acreage  of  variegated 
alfalfa  in  the  West,  prices  are  approaching  more  nearly  a  point  where 
the  consumer  will  buy  these  special  varieties  in  large  ^quantities. 

New  Seedings  of  Common  Alfalfa  are  Hardy 

In  order  to  avoid  disappointing  those  who  may  try  out  variegated 
alfalfa  in  comparison  with  the  common  the  writer  wishes  to  empha- 
size the  fact  that  there  may  be  little  difference  in  yields  and  general 
appearance  the  first  year  after  seeding.  It  is  only  under  unusually 
severe  climatic  conditions  that  the  variegated  will  demonstrate  Jts 
superiority  in  a  one-year  trial.  £?j 

I  have  sown  plots  with  common  Kansas  and  Nebraska  grown 
alfalfa  seed  costing  thirteen  cents  a  pound,  which  after  a  hard  winter 
were  equal  in  every  .respect  to  plots  of  Grimm,  Baltic  and  Cossack, 
the  seed  of  which  cost  five  times  as  much.  Not  so,  however,  fol- 
lowing the  second  winter.  Common  alfalfa  loses  some  of  its  hardi- 
ness after  it  is  one  year  old,  and  becomes  more  susceptible  to  winter 
injury  with  increasing  age.  I  don't  know  why,  but  it  does.  Here's 
an  example — one  of  many  that  I  could  give: 

June  23,  1915,  I  seeded  a  plot  of  alfalfa  with  Montana  seed  in  the 
same  manner,  under  the  same  soil  conditions  and  with  the  same 
strain  of  seed — taken  out  of  the  same  bag — as  a  similar  plot  not 
more  than  three  rods  distant,  which  was  sown  June  27,  1914.  Both 
these  plots  had  excellent  stands  in  the  fall  of  1915,  but  in  the  spring 
of  1916  seventy-six  per  cent  of  the  plants  in  the  two-year-old  plot 
had  winterkilled,  while  of  the  new  seeding  only  nine  per  cent  of 
winterkilling  occured. 

Just  why  old  stands  of  common  alfalfa  winterkill  more  seriously 
than  new  seedings  is  a  problem  not  yet  solved,  but  that  it  is  a  fact  is 
further  substantiated  by  165  reports  frorri  members  of  the  Alfalfa 
Order  in  1916,  three-quarters  of  whom  declared  their  old  stands 
winterkilled  much  more  badly  than  the  new  seedings  of  1915. 

Hardiness  of  Alfalfa  and  Clover 

The  significance  of  this  characteristic  lies  in  drawing  conclusions 
from  compara'tive  tests  with  different  kinds  of  alfalfa  ""and  clover. 
It  is  claimed  by  some  that  alfalfa  is  more  subject  to  winterkilling 
than  is  red  clover.  If  you  compare  new  seedings  of  red  clover  with 
old  seedings  of  common  alfalfa  you  may  find  it  so.  But  if  you  com- 
pare new  seedings  of  clover  with  new  seedings  of  alfalfa  growing 
under  equally  favorable  conditions  the  alfalfa  will  be  the  hardier  of 
the  two.  Variegated  alfalfa  is  always  hardier. 

To  make  a  fair  comparison  of  common  and  variegated  alfalfa  the 
test  should  be  conducted  for  two  or  more  years.  If  the  second 
\\inter  happens  to  be  favorable  there  may  not  be  a  great  difference 
until  the  third  year.  It  takes  a  severe  winter  to  put  the  two  kinds 
to  the  test,  and  we  can  judge  fairly  of  their  merits  only  when  they 
have  weathered  at  least  two  winters. 

61 


Common  Alfalfa  for  Rotations 

Farmers  of  the  Eastern  and  Middle-Western  States  who  are  grow- 
ing alfalfa  in  short  three  or  four  year  rotations,  as  they  do  red  clover, 
will  generally  find  common  alfalfa  hardy  enough  to  produce  good 
yields  for  one  or  two  years.  But  most  farmers  want  alfalfa  for  a 
permanent  hay  crop.  They  want  fields  that  will  last  eight  or  ten 
years.  If  common  alfalfa  fills_this  requirement  let  well  enough  alone. 

In  the  Eastern  States  much  of  the  alfalfa  seed  offered  on  the  mar- 
ket has  been  imported  from  Russian  Turkestan.  We  speak  of  it  as 
imported  or  Turkestan  alfalfa.  This  seed  is  often  infested  with 
buckhorn.  Then  the  fact  that  it  generally  has  a  short  fall  groA  th 
and  tendency  to  produce  only  two  good  crops — if  three,  the  third  is 
rather  light — has  brought  it  into  disrepute.  (See  Pig.  38.) 

Turkestan  Hardy 

I  have  tried  out  some  imported  Turkestan  seed  and  have  found  it 
hardy,  lasting  longer  than  common  alfalfa  and  always  having  a  de- 
cided tendency  to  go  into  a  protective  state  of  dormancy  early  in 


Fig.  52.     White  Seeds  in  Turkestan. 

Imported  Turkestan  alfalfa  seed  either  has  a  dull  grayish  color  or  if 
polished  the  surface  feels  much  rougher  than  American  grown  seed.  It  can 
also  be  identified  by  the  distinct  presence  of  ivory  white  seeds  of  Russian 
Knapweed  which  are  generally  considered  harmless.  They  are  seldom  found 
in  seed  from  any  other  source. 

the  fall.  But,  due  to  the  superiority  of  the  variegated  alfalfas  and 
the  uncertainty  of  origin,  the  Turkestan  alfalfa  seed  or  seed  imported 
from  any  other  source  has  not  been  encouraged  or  endorsed. 

Fortunately  commercial  Turkestan  alfalfa  seed  can  be  identified 
in  most  cases  by  its  lighter  grayish  color  or  rough  surface  and  the 
almost  always  present  ivory-white  seeds  of  Russian  knapweed,  which 
are  seldom  if  ever  found  in  alfalfa  seed  from  any  other  source. 


62 


Transplanting  Alfalfa 


fOME  alfalfa  enthusiasts  have  laid  considerable  emphasis  on 
transplanting.  The  plan  is  briefly  as  follows: 
Sow  alfalfa  in  the  spring  in  rows  three  feet  apart.  Cultivate 
several  times  to  keep  down  weeds.  Dig  up  rows  of  plants  in  fall. 
Cut  back  central  roots  to  six  inch  length  and  transplant  individual 
plants  in  checks  3  feet  by  3  feet.  The  following  year  cultivate 
several  times  to  keep  out  weeds  and  blue-grass.  (See  Fig.  39.) 

Is  this  a  practical  method  of  growing  alfalfa  on  our  fertile  farms 
here  in  Wisconsin?  Have  we  time  and  can  we  afford  to  grow  a  hay 
crop  like  we  would  cabbage  or  strawberries?  That  transplanting 
under  average  conditions  is  a  laborious,  costly  and  impractical 
method  of  growing  alfalfa  is  a  statement  not  necessary  to  make 
to  those  who  are  farming  for  dollars  and  cents.  In  parts  of 
the  arid  West  transplanting  has  proven  quite  successful  for  seed 
production  with  hardy  varieties.  In  Wisconsin  there  may  be  special 
soil  conditions,  such  as  the  sandy  soils  where  this  transplanting 
method  might  be  of  some  value,  but  this  matter  is  entirely  in  the  ex- 
perimental stage  and  as  yet  no  one  has  demonstrated  its  practicability. 

Cossack  vs.  Grimm 

Cossack  alfalfa  plants  and  seed  have,  in  some  sections,  been  wide- 
ly if  not  wildly  advertised  and  sold  at  fabulous  prices  for  trans- 
planting. 

We  have  had  the  Cossack  alfalfa  under  trial  now  for  three  years. 
It  is  a  variegated  strain  like  the  Grimm  and  Baltic.  We  have  found 
it  an  excellent  variety  but  so  far  in  no  way  superior  in  hardiness  and 
yields  to  the  Grimm  or  Baltic.  A  neighboring  experiment  station 
has  tested  out  the  Cossack  and  arrived  at  this  same  conclusion.  We 
hope  that  future  tests  may  show  it  to  be  even  better  than  the  Grimm 
or  Baltic. 

With  all  its  excellent  qualities  we  would  not  see  fit  to  generally 
recommend  Cossack  alfalfa  in  Wisconsin  if  the  seed  were  to  cost 
$2.00  a  pound.  For  the  most  part  alfalfa  seed  production  in  Wis- 
consin has  not  been  a  commercial  success  due  primarily  to  our  abun- 
dant rainfall  which  favors  stem  and  leaf  growth  far  more  than  seed 
setting.  If  it  were  the  initial  cost  of  the  seed  it  would  not  be  a  ser- 
ious matter  because  we  could  raise  our  own  supply  and  sell  the  sur- 
plus at  a  fancy  figure,  such  as  we  were  required  to  pay.  With  our 
humid  conditions  we  are  for  the  most  part  dependent  upon  the  more 
arid  West  for  our  supply  of  seed.  For  this  reason  we  have  been 
very  cautious  in  the  past  not  to  recommend  any  variety  of  alfalfa 
until  we  were  assured  our  farmers  could  secure  genuine  seed  at  fairly 
reasonable  prices.  We  believe  Grimm  will  continue  to  become  lower 
in  price  as  time  goes  on  and  as  the  production  out  West  increases. 
Cossack  alfalfa  seed  is  quite  scarce,  but  it  too,  will  become  cheaper 
as  the  production  increases. 

63 


Plant   Comparison  Not  Always   Reliable 

Some  very  unfair  comparisons  and  statements  have  been  made 
regarding  the  Grimm  variety.  I  have  on  my  desk  an  illustration 
showing  a  row  of  ten  rather  small  two  year  old  plants  of  Grimm 
alfalfa.  Below  these  is  shown  thirteen  immense  Cossack  plants  said 
to  be  of  the  same  age.  I  was  told  that  the  ten  plants  of  Grimm 
in  the  illustration  were  taken  from  a  field  which  had  been  broad- 
casted at  the  rate  of  15  pounds  of  seed  an  acre  and  where  there 
were  from  five  to  fifteen  plants  for  every  square  foot  of  soil. 
According  to  information  received  the  large  Cossack  plants  which 
were  said  to  be  of  the  same  age  as  the  Grimm  were  transplanted  in 
checks  about  two  and  a  half  feet  apart  each  way  and  cultivated, 
thus  providing  from  six  to  I  eight  square  feet  of  cultivated  soil  for 
each  plant  of  the  Cossack!  No  wonder  they  grew  big!  Is  it 
fair  to  compare  the  size  of  Grimm  alfalfa  plants  from  a  thickly 
seeded  field  with  .transplanted  Cossack  plants,  having  six  or  more 
square  feet  of  free  soil  for  the  use  of  each  plant  to'spread  out  and 
develop? 


Fig.  53.     Are  Plants  5  and  6  of  a  Superior  Variety? 

No.  All  plants  in  this  illustration  are  of  the  same  variety,  same  age, 
and  come  from  the  same  Kansas  grown  seed.  Why  the  difference?  Plants 
i,  2,  3  and  4  are  three  years  old  and  were  taken  from  a  field  of  thick  alfalfa 
which  had  been  broadcasted  at  the  rate  of  20  Ibs.  of  seed  an  acre.  Plants 
5  and  6  were  taken  from  this  same  field  when  one  year  old  and  transplanted 
in  checks  3x3  feet.  Their  increased  size  has  resulted  from  cultivation  and 
free  available  space  for  development.  The  branched  growth  of  roots  always 
occurs  when  alfalfa  of  any  variety  is  transplanted  and  the  main  root  is  cut 
back.  Sometimes  comparisons  like  this  are  unfairly  used  to  show  the  su- 
periority of  one  variety  over  another. 

Transplanting  Develops  Widely  Branching  Roots 

Transplant  Grimm  alfalfa  and  force  it  along  like  a  garden  veg- 
etable in  the  same  way  as  those  Cossack  plants  were  grown  and  it 
will  produce  these  very  immense  crowns  and  roots.  Even  common 
ordinary  alfalfa  will  grow  big  sturdy  plants  if  transplanted,  culti- 


64 


vated  and  developed  under  this  costly  and  laborious  "tobacco  me- 
thod" of  growing  alfalfa.  We  frequently  hear  of  tap  and  branch 
rooted  varieties  of  alfalfa.  The  Grimm,  Baltic  and  Cossack  are 
more  distinctly  branch  rooted  than  the  common.  But  every  alfalfa 
becomes  branch  rooted  with  transplanting.  The  central  roots  fail 
to  grow  in  length  after  they  are  cut  back  and  hence  they  immedi- 
ately develop  an  extensive  lateral  or  side  root  growth.  This  is  true 
not  only  of  Cossack  but  of  the  Grimm  and  common  as  well.  (See 
Fig.  53.) 

Big  Plants  do  not  Mean  Big  Yields 

Many  have  been  given  a  small  packet  of  Cossack  alfalfa  seed 
with  instructions  to  seed  in  rows  and  then  transplant  (3x3  ft.) 
in  the  garden.  These  plants  are  given  garden  care.  They  grow  to 
be  of  tremendous  size  and  the  conclusion  naturally  follows  that 
this  Cossack  is  a  very  unusual  alfalfa.  But  we  forget  that  the  Grimm 
or  Baltic  transplanted  in  the  same  way  will  produce  equally  sur- 
prising!results  as  far  as  big  plants  with  immense  branched  roots  and 
crowns  are  concerned.  The  only  way  two  or  more  varieties  of  al- 
falfa can  be  rightly  compared  is  to  seed  them  under  identically  the 
same  conditions.  (See  Pig.  53.) 

The  Cossack  alfalfa  is  a  good  variety.  It's  a  highly  desirable 
alfalfa  from  the  standpoint  of  yields  and  hardiness.  Its  widely 
variegated  flower  may  become  a  characteristic  of  commercial  im- 
portance as  time  goes  on.  We  are  not  in  any  sense  opposed  to 
Cossack  alfalfa  as  a  variety.  In  fact  we  have  great  faith  in  it — 
but  there  are  other  good  alfalfas  as  well. 

Transplanting  Fails  in  Test 

While  we  have  had  only  limited  experience  with  transplanting 
alfalfa  the  results  of  our  tests  have  been  more  disappointing  than 
we  ever  anticipated.  Four  years  ago  (1913)  we  transplanted  three 
small  plots  of  fertile  clay  loam  soil  with  variegated  and  yellow  blos- 
somed alfalfas  to  observe  seed  production.  Every  plant  failed  to 
produce  seed  in  any  appreciable  quantity.  In  spite  of  frequent 
hoeing  and  cultivation  blue-grass  took  possession  of  the  plots  the 
second  year  and  a  year  ago  we  plowed  them  up. 

In  September,  1916,  we  transplanted  a  twentieth  acre  plot  of 
rich  loam  soil  with  Baltic,  Cossack  and  common  purple-flowered 
Montana  alfalfa  to  test  out  hay  production.  The  plants  were  put 
in  checks  3x3  feet.  Last  spring  and  during  the  summer  they  were 
cultivated  six  times  but  the  weeds  were  abundant  in  the  fall  in  spite 
of  our  determined  efforts.  Adjacent  broadcasted  plots  seeded 
in  1915  were  practically  weed  free  without  any  cultivation.  In 
two  cuttings  the  three  broadcasted  plots  with  plants  from  the  same 
seed  and  of  the  same  age  as  the  transplanted  area  yielded  an  average 
of  9400  pounds  of  cured  hay  an  acre.  The  transplanted  plots  av- 
eraged for  two  cuttings  only  600  pounds  of  cured  hay  an  acre.  We 
are  hoping  for  better  results  in  the  future  (See  Fig.  39.) 

In  the  seed  growing  sections  of  the  West  transplanting  seems 
to  have  been  used  very  effectually  in  disseminating  new  and  hardy 
varieties  of  alfalfa  where  seed  was  available  only  in  limited  amounts. 
One  pound  of  seed  will  produce  enough  plants  for  about  an  acre  of 
transplanted  alfalfa.  In  other  words,  transplanting  is  a  means  of 

65 


rapidly  increasing  the  seed  supply  of  new  varieties  by  making  a 
"little  seed  go  a  long  ways."  But  in  the  humid  areas  of  the  East 
and  Middle  West,  seed  production  is  not  a  practical  or  general  suc- 
cess. 

High  Priced  Seed. 

Here,  alfalfa  seed,  at  such  excessive  prices  of  from  one  to  two 
dollars  a  pound  has  been  advertised  and  sold  for  transplanting  on 
the  basis  of  one  acre  only  requiring  about  one  pound  of  seed.  If 
transplanting  were  successful  for  hay  production  or  seed  production 
in  the  humid  states  the  price  of  the  seed  would  not  be  of  serious 
consequence,  but  in  the  light  of  our  experience  in  Wisconsin  it  appears 
to  us  that  transplanting  has  been  primarily  advocated  by  some  as 
a  means  of  selling  special  varieties  of  alfalfa  at  fabulous  sums. 


When  to  Cut  Alfalfa 


first  crop  of  alfalfa  should  be  cut  when  the  field  is  in  the 
advanced  bud  or  has  just  begun  to  bloom.  Of  course,  we  cannot 
give  any  set  date  for  this  cutting  but  it  will  come  about  the  last  of 
May  or  the  first  of  June,  depending  much  on  the  season.  Just  at  the 
time  the  flower  buds  have  formed  at  the  top  of  the  plant  and  per- 
haps a  few  of  them  have  already  blossomed,  it  is  well  to  examine 
the  crowns  of  plants  in  several  places  throughout  the  field.  (Fig.  6.) 

Watch  for  the  New  Sprouts 

Here  at  the  base  of  the  stems  will  be  found  the  little  shoots  or 
sprouts  which  produce  the  second  growth  and  crop.  They  may  be 
very  small  and  you  may  not  find  many.  It  is  best  then  to  wait  for 
a  few  days  before  cutting  until  you  can  observe  a  considerable  num- 
ber of  these  tiny  little  leaves  and  stems  sprouting  from  the  base  of 
the  alfalfa  plants.  When  they  have  reached  an  average  length  of 
from  one  quarter  to  three  quarters  of  an  inch — the  cutting  stage  is 
at  hand.  The  experienced  alfalfa  grower  knows  only  too  well  how 
important  it  is  not  to  delay  the  mowing  if  rain  does  not  interfere. 

The  small  shoots  once  started  grow  very  rapidly  because  after  the 
alfalfa  begins  to  blossom  much  of  its  strength  is  utilized  in  devel- 
opment of  the  second  growth.  If  it  becomes  two  to  three  inches 
or  more  in  length  the  sickle  will  cut  the  tops  off  and  these  small 
stalks  will  be  checked  in  their  growth.  New  shoots  will  then  slowly 
develop  from  the  crowns  and  the  second  crop  of  alfalfa  will  be  delayed 
from  two  to  three  weeks  in  its  growth  and  harvest.  Furthermore,  if 
the  soil  is  infested  with  blue-grass,  or  foxtail,  or  other  plant  enemies 
of  alfalfa,  they  may  soon  take  possession  of  the  field  and  seriously 
crowd  the  alfalfa  while  it  is  slowly  recovering  from  the  effects  of 
having  the  first  and  the  beginning  of  the  second  crop  cut  at  the 
same  time.  This  is  what  happens  if  alfalfa  is  cut  when  in  full 
bloom.  Furthermore,  the  delay  not  only  applies  to  the  second  crop 
but  the  third  crop  as  well,  which  should  never  be  cut  later  than  the 
second  week  in  September  in  the  northern  states.  However,  if  the 
third  crop  is  not  ready  until  the  middle  or  latter  part  of  Septem- 

66 


ber  it  is  so  often  cut  regardless  of  this  late  date  as  it  seems  such  a 
waste  to  allow  a  good  rich  growth  of  alfalfa  hay  to  remain  unhar- 
vested. 


Fig.  54.     Late  Cutting  Delays  Succeeding  Growth. 

Tall  alfalfa  (on  left)  shows  excellent  growth  following  cutting  at  right 
stage.  Short  alfalfa  (on  right)  shows  delayed  grc \\tri  due  to  cutting  previous 
crop  when  passed  proper  stage. 

Late  Fall  Cutting  Dangerous 

There  are  occasional  seasons  where  alfalfa  may  not  winterkill, 
cutting  even  as  late  as  the  last  of  September;  but  these  are  the  ex- 
ceptions rather  than  the  rule.  (See  figs.  14  and  37.) 

I  know  of  one  instance  where  a  field  of  40  acres  was  entirely  win- 
terkilled due  to  cutting  the  last  of  September.  Similar  cases  with 
smaller  fields  are  only  too  numerous.  It  is  probably  a  matter  of 
the  alfalfa  not  attaining  sufficient  growth  prior  to  the  first  fall 
frost  to  hold  the  snow  and  protect  the  crop.  Furthermore,  it  is  un- 
doubtedly true  that  alfalfa  cut  late  in  the  fall,  even  though  it  may 
only  partially  winterkill,  does  not  grow  nearly  so  vigorously  the 
following  spring  and  is  more  apt  to  be  run  out  by  blue-grass  than 
would  be  the  case  if  the  third  crop  were  not  cut  at  all.  In  the 
northern  states  it  is  much  wiser  to  leave  the  last  crop  stand  if  it  is 
not  ready  to  harvest  prior  to  September  10th  and  be  content  with 
two  crops.  The  alfalfa  will  generally  be  ready  to  cut,  however,  early 
enough  in  the  fall  to  avoid  all  dangers  of  winterkilling  if  the  first 
and  second  crops  have  been  cut  at  the  proper  stage. 

When  Alfalfa  is  Affected  With  Leaf  Spot  Cut  Early 

There  is  a  common  disease  of  alfalfa  called  leaf  spot  which  we 
know  little  about.  However,  it  has  some  influence  on  the  time  and 
stage  of  cutting  alfalfa.  Generally  all  the  lower  leaves  are  most 
badly  affected  and  become  covered  with  brown  spots.  They  soon 
turn  yellow  and  drop  off.  In  time  the  entire  plant  becomes  infected 
and  the  field  appears  yellowish  green  and  sickly.  The  great  loss  of 
leaves  results  in  a  lower  yield  and  a  poorer  quality  of  hay.  This 

67 


outbreak  is  most  prevalent  about  one  or  two  weeks  before  the  first 
cutting.  In  serious  cases  immediate  cutting  is  very  advisable  as 
the  second  crop  will  come  up  green  and  healthy  and  practically  free 
from  the  disease.  When  a  plant  is  thus  diseased  it  seems  that  its 
strength  and  energy  are  thrown  into  the  little  shoots  at  the  crowns 
which  consequently  grow  much  more  rapidly.  This  permits  much 
earlier  cutting  and  also  facilitates  the  harvesting  before  the  hay  is 


CUT  3  WEEKS    BEFORE  RIGHT  STAGE 


Fig-   55-     Cutting  Too  Early  Kills. 

Cutting  alfalfa  too  early  is  bad.      The  succeeding  growth  is  so  severely 
checked  that  weeds  and  grasses  spring  up  and  choke  out  the  alfalfa. 

seriously  damaged  by  the  disease  in  the  way  of  a  loss  of  leaves.  The 
second  growth  generally  comes  entirely  free  of  the  disease  but  it 
may  appear  prior  to  the  cutting  of  the  second  crop.  Only  in  cases 
where  leaf  spot  is  very  serious,  and  this  to  be  gauged  by  the  develop- 
ment of  shoots  at  the  crowns,  is  extreme  early  cutting  desirable. 
Generally  those  alfalfa  fields  which  lack  inoculation  or  need  lime 
are  most  badly  affected  with  leaf  spot. 

Dangerous  to  Cut  Alfalfa  too  Early 

Cutting  alfalfa  before  the  proper  stage  sometimes  causes  such  a 
serious  thinning  of  the  stand  that  weeds  and  blue-grass  soon  take 
possession  of  the  field.  While  this  seldom  occurs  instances  are  on 
record  where  serious  damage  has  resulted.  We  have  observed  it  in 
our  experimental  work  where  early  and  frequent  cutting  have  been 
tested  out.  Reports  from  Woodlawn  Farm  at  Mechanicsburg,  Ohio 
show  a  decided  injury  from  cutting  swaths  of  alfalfa  thru  their  fields 
before  the  proper  cutting  stage  in  preparation  for  a  state  alfalfa 
growers'  picnic. 


68 


Alfalfa  Haying  and  the  Weather 

How  to  Cure  the  Crop  in  a  Rainy  Spell 


,  Sam,  you  are  going  to  have  your  hands  full  to  get   those 
ten  acres  cured  and  dry  with  this  rainy  June  weather!" 

It  was  Sam's  neighbor  speaking.  He  had  never  grown  a 
spear  of  alfalfa  in  his  life,  and  he  was  a  little  bit  envious  of  the  fine 
stand  just  across  the  fence. 

"Yes,"  replied  Sam,  "I'll  have  my  hands  full  all  right,  but  I  am 
going  to  have  my  barns  full,  too — full  of  the  finest  hay  in  all  the 
world.  Worth  twice  as  much  for  feeding  as  the  timothy  I  have 
been  growing  and  you  are  still  growing.  I  am  not  worrying  about 
handling  alfalfa,  but  I  was  worried  for  a  few  years  about  getting"  it 
started." 


Fig.  56.     Hay  Caps  for  Rainy  Weather. 

They  insure  valuable  alfalfa  hay  against  weather  losses. 

"Well,"  interjected  the  neighbor,  "you'll  be  worried  before  you 
get  through  with  it,  or  I'll  rriss  my  guess.  This  alfalfa  business 
isn't  all  sunshine  and  roses.  We  cut  our  timothy  in  July  when 
there's  little  rain,  and  it's  easy  to  cure.  What  are  you  going  to  do 
if  it  keeps  on  raining?  Your  field  is  ready  to  cut  right  now!" 

Can't    Stop    Rain 

"Let  it  rain!  Can't  stop  it!  They've  been  talking  about  the 
weather  now  for  centuiies,  but  nothing  has  ever  been  done  about  it. 
Besides,  we  need  rain  to  push  the  corn  and  wheat  along.  If  I  lose 
this  first  crop  I'll  have  two  mere  coming  anyway.  But  I  don't  in- 
tend to  lose  it." 

Sam  was  feeling  good-natured  in  spite  of  ten  rainy  days  and  ten 
acres  of  alfalfa  anxiously  ready  to  be  cut. 

69 


Hay    Caps 

"I  just  bought  four  hundred  hay  caps,  forty  by  forty  inches,"  he 
went  on.  "The  first  clear  day  I  am  going  to  cut  the  whole  business, 
rake  it  up  the  next  day  and  bunch  it  into  cocks  of  about  one  hundred 
pounds  each,  put  on  the  canvas  caps  with  weights  at  each  corner 
and  let  her  rain!  That's  Governor  Hoard's  way  of  making  alfalfa 
hay.  They  say  he  swears  by  it,  and  he  has  grown  alfalfa  a  good 
many  years. 

"Of  course,  it  looks  like  a  lot  of  work  for  fellows  who  are  used  to 
doing  things  in  quick  fashion  with  a  side  delivery  and  the  hay  loader. 
And  if  it  wasn't  for  this  continued  rain  I  wouldn't  bother  with  hay 
caps.  I'd  cure  it  in  the  windrow  and  load  it  up  with  my  drum  loader. 
But  with  such  rains  as  we  have  had  alfalfa  in  windrows  would  have 
to  be  handled  with  a  six-tined  fork.  It  would  either  be  silage  or 
manure.  So  I  thought  I  would  try  out  the  caps." 

Haying  with  Napkins 

"Well,  Sam,"  replied  the  neighbor,  "if  there  is  one  thing  that  has 
kept  me  from  growing  alfalfa  it  has  been  this  fancy  napkin  way  of 
putting  up  the  hay.  Somehow  I  got  the  idea  that  the  only  way  it 
was  possible  to  get  alfalfa  cured  so  you  could  safely  put  it  in  the 


Fig.   57-     Saving  Labor. 

The  bunches  are  spread  out  to  dry  the  interior  before  loading. 

barn  was  to  cock  it  up,  put  a  canvas  cap  on  it,  and  then  after  a  few 
days  pitch  and  load  the  whole  business  just  the  way  we  made  hay 
years  ago.  For  us  that's  too  slow.  It  may  be  all  right  for  the  fellow 
with  a  little  patch,  but  when  you  have  got  forty  or  fifty  acres  to 
harvest — why,  if  we  had  that  much  alfalfa  wa  would  be  haying  until 
Christmas,  and  then  not  be  through!" 

The    Hustler's    Hay 

"I    quite   agree   with   you,"    replied   Sam.      "You    will    remember 
that  last  year  I  put  up  my  three  crops  with  the  side  delivery  and 

70 


loader,  and  you  wouldn't  ask  for  nicer  hay  than  I  had.  But  I  was 
lucky — didn't  get  one  drop  of  rain  on  that  hay.  With  this  kind  of 
weather  there's  little  chance  of  curing  alfalfa  in  the  windrow.  That's 
why  I'm  going  to  bunch  it  and  use  the  hay  caps  and  play  safe. 

"I  don't  like  this  way  of  making  hay,  either,  but  I^believe  it  pays 
when  you  have  weather  like  this  to  contend  with.  It's  the  only  way 
you  can  save  a  crop  that's  worth  twenty  dollars  and  more  a  ton  right 
now.  I  intend  to  take  a  chance  on  bad  weather  with  my  second  and 
third  cuttings  and  do  the  job  up  quick  with  our  side  delivery  rake 
and  drum  loader. 

"You're  right — this  alfalfa  proposition  is  not  all  sunshine  and 
roses.  There  are  a  lot  of  things  a  fellow  doesn't  figure  on  when  he 
first  starts  out.  It  keeps  you  hustling  to  get  alfalfa  started,  and  it 
keeps  you  hustling  after  you  have  it  started.  It's  no  lazy  man's 
crop.  It's  the  hustler's  hay.  And  a  fellow  who  works  as  hard  as 
you  do  ought  to  grow  this  very  kind  of  hay.  Why  don't  you  try  a 
few  acres?" 

"Going  to,"  replied  the  neighbor.  "That's  why  I've  been  talking 
to  you  and  getting  your  views.  Good  day,  Sam." 

A  Sure  Method 

I  have  listened  many  times  to  this  sort  of  conversation.  Out 
West  the  sun  shines  most  of  the  summer  and  it  is  easy  to  make  hay 
when  the  sun  shines.  But  if  you  asked  me  the  way  to  get  the  bright- 
est and  leafiest  green  alfalfa  hay  under  the  average  humid  conditions 
of  the  Corn  Belt  and  Eastern  States  I  should  advise  this  procedure: 

Cut  your  alfalfa  on  a  day  that  promises  to  be  fair.  Cut  it  when 
the  little  sprouts  of  the  next  growth  at  the  crown  of  the  plant  have 
made  about  an  inch  of  growth.  Set  the  mower  bar  to  leave  two 
inches  of  stubble  so  as  not  to  injure  these  new  sprouts  or  growing 
points  of  the  next  crop.  (See  Fig.  6.) 

Cut  at  Right  Stage 

If  rain  prevents  you  from  cutting  at  this  stage  and  the  sprouts 
grow  two  inches  or  more,  then  set  the  bar  still  higher,  so  as  not  to 
clip  them  any  more  than  is  absolutely  necessary.  This  is  very  im- 
portant. Clipping  off  these  fresh  growths  checks  their  develop- 
ment so  that  the  following  crop  will  be  delayed  from  ten  to  twenty 
days.  This  means  lower  yields,  and  in  the  Northern  States  it  may 
result  in  the  total  loss  of  the  third  crop,  since  cutting  after  the  first 
week  in  September  in  a  section  where  early  frcsts  occur  may  not 
give  sufficient  time  for  the  eight  inches  of  fall  growth  necessary  for 
winter  protection.  But  now  about  the  curing. 

Do  not  Dry  Alfalfa  in  Swath 

Can  we  cure  alfalfa  in  the  swath  as  we  do  time  thy?  Not  if  we 
want  to  get  good  hay.  At  least  half  the  feeding  value  of  the  alfalfa 
plant  is  in  the  leaves.  With  their  thin,  much-exposed  surfaces  they 
dry  out  quickly,  become  brittle  and  break  off  in  handling.  The 
thicker  stems  cure  very  slowly,  and,  if  they  are  stored  when  too 
moist,  heating  in  the  mow  or  stack  may  occur. 

Alfalfa  should  not  remain  in  the  swath  any  longer  than  necessary 

71 


to  become  well  wilted.  This  may  only  require  four  or  five  hours 
after  cutting  in  hot,  dry  weather,  or  a  day  if  the  weather  is  cool, 
damp  or  cloudy.  The  wilted  hay  can  be  raked  and  bunched  with- 
out loss  of  leaves"  into  cocks  of  about  one  hundred  pounds  each. 
Larger  cocks  may  heat  and  mold  in  the  center.  (See  Fig.  36.) 


Fig.  58.     Rapid  Methods  for  Large  Acreages. 

With  a  good  hay  loader  alfalfa   can  be  loaded  from  the  cock 
or  windrow  without  waste. 

Beware  of  Hay  Stored  when  Damp  with  Dew  or  Rain 

Under  no  circumstances  should  alfalfa  hay  damp  with  dew  or 
rain  be  bunched,  raked  or  stored.  Invariably  this  causes  molding, 
severe  heating  and  possible  burning  in  the  mow  or  stack. 

With  favorable  weather  alfalfa  will  be  ready  to  store  two  days 
after  bunching.  With  frequent  rains  it  may  require  one  or  even 
two  weeks.  I  have  seen  cases  where  alfalfa  round  the  cocks  had 
grown  six  inches  in  height  before  the  hay  could  be  hauled  in. 

What  about  the  plants  under  the  cocks?  Will  they  be  smothered 
out?  Perhaps  they  will,  but  not  likely.  I  have  left  cocks  of  alfalfa 
hay  on  the  same  places  in  the  field  for  two  weeks  straight  without 
injury  other  than  delaying  the  development  of  the  plants  beneath 
and  giving  the  field  an  uneven  growth  andjspotted  appearance.  It 
is  a  good  plan  to  move  the  bunches  after  five  or  six  days,  as  this 
will  produce  a  more  uniform  growth  of  the  following  crop. 

How   Alfalfa   Cures   in   Bunches 

The  curing  process  which  goes  on  when  well-wilted  alfalfa  is  bunched 
is  quite  remarkable.  Neither  the  leaves  nor  the  stems  are  dead. 
The  life  processes  of  the  plant  continue  and  the  moisture  moves  up 
the  stems  through  the  leaves,  resulting  in  a  uniform  curing  of  the 
hay.  In  fact  the  leaves  act  as  pumps  in  their  dying  attempts  to 
secure  moisture  from  the  stems. 

An  hour  or  so  before  loading  the  canvas  cap  is  removed  and  the 
cocks  are  spread  apart  and  opened  up  to  wind  and  sun  to  free  the 
interior  from  any  surplus  moisture.  The  hay  is  then  ready  to  be 
loaded  with  a  drum  hay  loader,  or  pitched  by  hand. 

Best  Hay  but  not^  always  Best  Method 

With  this  method  the  brightest  green  hay  is  obtained  with  the 
least  loss  of  leaves;  the  hay  caps  are  a  security  against  rain.  Is 
it  practicable?  Ask  a  small  farmer  with  ten  to  twenty  acres  and 

• 
72 


he  will  swear  by  it.  It  is  important  for  him  to  play  sure  and  to  take 
no  weather  risks.  Large  growers  who  are  accustomed  to  using  hay 
loaders  and  sweep  rakes,  side  deliveries  and  the  like  often  scoff  at 
the  idea,  claiming  it  impracticable  and  out  of  the  question  with  their 
more  extensive  farm  operations. 

What    Peter    Swartz    Says 

Peter  Swartz,  of  the  Cornfalfa  Farms,  not  only  enjoys  the  dis- 
tinction of  being  the  largest  alfalfa  grower  in  Wisconsin,  but  [was 
recently  elected  president  of  the  largest  and  most  active  alfalfa 
growers'  association  in  the  United  States — the  Wisconsin  Alfalfa 
Order.  He  has  this  to  say  about  curing  alfalfa  hay  by  the  [cock- 
and-cap  method:  r^ 

"You  get  the  best  hay.  It  is  the  surest  way  of  curing  alfalfa  [and 
it  is  all  right  for  the  man  with  ten  to  fifteen  acres.  But  it  is  too 
slow,  costly  and  laborious  for  our  hundred  and  ninety  acres.  We 
have  to  use  methods  that  are  more  rapid  and  that  require  less  hand 
labor.  We  have  to  use  machine  labor  wherever  possible.  [Farm 
labor  is  scarce  and  will  be  scarcer  if  the  war  continues."  (See  Fig.  34.) 


Fig.   59.     Haying  in  a  Hurry. 

For  stacking  large  acreages  of  alfalfa,  sweep  rakes  may  be  used. 

Side  Delivery  Rakes  for  Windrowing 

"We  rake  our  wilted  hay  from  the  swath  into  windrows  with  side- 
delivery  rakes.  With  two  days  of  fair  weather  it  is  generally  ready 
to  store,  but  an  hour  or  so  before  loading  we  turn  the  windrow  bot- 
tom side  up  with  the  side  deliveries  to  allow  the  hay  next  to  the 
ground  to  dry  out.  Oh,  yes,  we  gamble  on  the  weather,  but  we 
make  hay  while  the  sun  shines  to  beat  the  band.  If  it  rains  we  stir 
up  our  windrows  by  turning  them  over  with  the  rakes.  (See Fig. 35.) 

"After  the  damp  hay  is  thoroughly  dry  we  load  it  with  drum 
loaders  and  put  it  in  the  mow,  or  if  our  barns  are  full  we  stack  out- 
side, using  sweep  rakes.  It's  wonderful  how  much  rain  alfalfa  will 
stand  and  still  make  good  hay.  It  will  stand  bad  weather  far  better 
than  timothy  or  clover.  Of  course  the  rain  hurts  it,  but  it's  sur- 
prising how  well  the  cattle  do  on  rained-on,  bleached  alfalfa  hay." 

73 


Sweep    Rakes 

The  Cornfalfa  Farms  are  among  the  few  east  of  the  Mississippi 
that  make  use  of  sweep  rakes.  With  them  the  hay  is  shoved  out  of 
the  windrow  to  the  stack,  where  it  is  elevated  with  slings  and  a  two- 
pole  stacker.  Haying  in  this  way  is  very  rapid.  It  is  not  only 


Fig.  60.     Sweep  Rake  in  Action. 

Shoving  the  ha\  from  windrow  to  stack. 

pleasant  for  the  operator  of  a  sweep  rake,  who  may  ride  in  a  canvas 
seat  back  of  the  team,  but  the  nice  green  alfalfa  hay  accumulating 
in  front  of  the  horses  gives  them  an  inspiration  to  go  forward! 

Green    and    Brown    Cures 

When  alfalfa  is  stored  in  the  mow  or  stack  it  will  maintain  its 
bright  green  color  if  it  has  been  thoroughly  cured  in  the  cock  or 
windrow  under  favorable  weather  conditions.  When  it  is  stored  a 
little  on  the  green  side,  while  the  stems  still  contain  a  considerable 
amount  of  the  plant  juice,  heating  and  fermentation  occur  in  the 
stack  and  a  very  aromatic  and  palatable  brown  hay  results. 

To  avoid  excessive  heating  by  storing  alfalfa  when  it  is  a  little  too 
green  it  is  well  to  distribute  the  hay  at  the  time  of  storage  over 
several  bents  in  the  barn  instead  of  piling  it  up  high  in  one  mow. 
To  avoid  misunderstanding  I  repeat  that  it  is  positively  dangerous 
to  store  any  alfalfa  hay  if  it  contains  moisture  from  dew  or  rain, 
because  spontaneous  combustion  may  result,  or  a  charring  or  mold- 
ing which  will  be  entirely  disastrous  to  the  feeding  value  of  the  hay. 
The  interior  moisture  of  the  stems  and  leaves  of  ordinarily  cured  hay 
will  not  cause  this  difficulty. 

The  practicability  of  the  various  ways  of  getting  alfalfa  hay  in 
condition  for  the  mow  or  stack  will  depend  entirely  upon  the  locality, 
climatic  conditions,  the  ultimate  use  and  value  of  the  hay.  Just 
what  method  should  be  used  is  largely  a  matter  of  business  judg- 
ment. 


74 


CONTENTS 

PAGES 

ALFALFA    CRITICISMS    ANSWERED 3-7 

Inoculated  with  right  ideas — blue  grass  troubles — alfalfa  in 
the  rotation. 

ARGUMENTS  FOR  AND  AGAINST  ALFALFA 8-19 

Objections  and  benefits — alfalfa  vs.  timothy  vs.  clover — 
roots  and  nodules — a  weed  fighter — Canada  thistles — feed- 
ing value  and  soil  enrichment. 

LIME— WHAT  ALFALFA  NEEDS  MOST 20-27 

Oldest  alfalfa  growing  sections — liming,  how,  when,  where 
and  why — kinds  to  buy — content  and  requirements  of  al- 
falfa— litmus  paper  and  Truog  soil  acidity  tests. 

INOCULATION— MORE  IMPORTANT  THAN  MANURE. 28-32 
Inoculation — how,  when,  where  and  why — not  always  nec- 
essary— nodules  a  sure  indication  of — glue  method,  cultures, 
sweet  clover  and  alfalfa  soil — by  mixing  alfalfa  with  grass 
seed. 

GETTING  STARTED  WITH  ALFALFA 33-45 

Time,  place  and  amount  to  sow — eight  inch  rule — danger  of 
late  summer  seeding — soils  and  subsoils  for  alfalfa — rolling 
sandy  soils. 

GETTING  A  GOOD  STAND 46-51 

Seeding  a  la  Jack  Frost  on  frozen  ground — alone — after  grain 
harvest — after  early  potatoes  or  canning  peas — with  good 
and  bad  nurse  crops — avoid  soil  washing,  clipping  and  man- 
uring new  seedings. 

WINTERKILLING  AND  ITS  REMEDIES    52-56 

How  to  prevent — clover  vs.  alfalfa — caused  by  late  fall  cut- 
ting and  pasturing — Grimm,  Cossack,  Baltic,  Turkestan  var- 
ieties. 

ALFALFAS  THAT  DO  AND  DO  NOT  WINTERKILL    . . .  .57-62 
Winterkilling,  causes  of — early- to-bed  and  early  ~to-rise  al- 
falfas— new  seedings  of  common  hardy — variegated  alfalfas. 

TRANSPLANTING  ALFALFA 63-64 

Effect  on  roots  and  crowns — plant  comparisons  not  always 
reliable — fails  in  test — Cossack  vs.  Grimm. 

WHEN  TO  CUT  ALFALFA 65-68 

Cutting  first  crop — at  right  stage — late  fall  cutting  danger- 
ous— leaf  spot  disease — cutting  too  early  and  too  late. 

ALFALFA  HAYING  AND  THE  WEATHER 69-74 

Curing  in  rainy  weather — curing  in  swath,  windrow,  and 
cocks — haying  with  side  delivery  and  sweep  rakes — hay 
loaders — heating  in  mow — spontaneous  combustion — green 
and  brown  cures. 


75 


ALFALFA  POEM 


"What  is  the  crop  that  always  pays, 
And  will  mature  in  forty  days, 
Resisting  drought,  the  frost,  the  heat 
Whose  roots  reach  down  one  hundred  feet?" 
ALFALFA 

"What  makes  the  swine  so  healthy  feel, 
And  never  raise  a  hungry  squeal, 
That  wholesome  food  that  never  fails 
To  put  three  curls  into  their  tails?" 
ALFALFA 

"What  makes  all  other  stock  look  nice, 
And  bring  the  highest  market  price, 
;Wtiat:  fills  the  milk  pail,  feeds  the  calf, 
;4n£l  Jftakes  the  old  cow  almost  laugh?" 
ALFALFA 

(Anon.) 


• 


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